The head of South Korea's national college entrance exam has resigned following widespread public backlash over the difficulty of this year's English test. Students and educators described the exam section as unnecessarily complex, comparing it to deciphering philosophical texts rather than a test of language proficiency.
Oh Seung-geol, the chief of the Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation which administers the exam, stepped down after admitting the test questions were inappropriate. The controversy highlights the immense pressure surrounding the Suneung, an eight-hour exam that can determine a student's entire future.
Key Takeaways
- The head of South Korea's Suneung exam, Oh Seung-geol, has resigned over the difficulty of the English section.
- The test included complex passages on Kantian philosophy and game theory, leading to student complaints.
- Only about 3% of students achieved the top grade in English this year, a significant drop from the previous year's 6%.
- The Suneung is a high-stakes, eight-hour exam that profoundly impacts students' university and career prospects.
An Exam That Shuts Down a Nation
Every November, South Korea comes to a standstill for the College Scholastic Ability Test, known as the Suneung. For eight hours, high school students across the country tackle nearly 200 questions in subjects ranging from Korean and mathematics to English and science. The stakes are incredibly high, as the results heavily influence university admissions, future career paths, and even personal relationships.
The exam's importance is reflected in the extraordinary measures taken on test day. Construction work is halted, flights are rescheduled, and military exercises are paused to ensure a quiet environment for the test-takers. This national focus underscores the immense pressure placed on young people, with preparation often starting in early childhood at private tutoring centers known as hagwons.
A History of High Stakes
Since its introduction in 1993, the Suneung has been a source of national anxiety. The position of exam chief has proven to be precarious; only four of the 12 officials appointed to the role have completed their full three-year terms. While past resignations were often tied to factual errors in questions, Oh Seung-geol's departure is the first directly attributed to the exam's level of difficulty.
The English Section Controversy
This year's controversy centered on the English portion of the exam. Students were given 70 minutes to answer 45 questions, but many found the content to be far beyond a typical language assessment. Passages delved into abstract topics, including the philosophy of Immanuel Kant and advanced concepts from game theory.
One particularly challenging question, worth three marks, required students to correctly place a sentence within a dense paragraph about perception through video game avatars. The text was reportedly excerpted from Game Feel, a guide on game design by Steve Swink, and presented without its original context, making comprehension even more difficult.
Students and parents quickly voiced their frustration online and in the media. Many described the test as "insane" and felt it tested abstract reasoning more than English comprehension. The results reflected these concerns, with just over 3% of candidates achieving the top grade, a sharp decline from approximately 6% the previous year.
"It took me a long time to figure out several questions, and understanding the texts themselves was difficult," said Im Na-hye, a senior at Hanyeong High School, in comments to the BBC. "Some answers looked very similar, so I wasn't sure until the last minute."
Debate Among Educators
The difficulty of the exam has sparked a debate among South Korean academics. Some argue that the complexity is necessary to differentiate top students, while others believe it undermines the goals of education.
Is it a Test of Language or Logic?
Jung Chae-kwan, an English professor at Incheon National University and a former employee of the institution that runs the Suneung, argued that the issue isn't just difficulty, but the confusing nature of the questions. "The texts aren't necessarily impossible, but they are maddeningly confusing," he said. "That makes them useless for real education."
Professor Jung suggested that such questions encourage teachers to focus on test-taking strategies and "tricks" rather than fostering genuine language skills. This approach, he noted, can allow students to find correct answers without fully understanding the text.
By the Numbers: Suneung Pressure
- 8 hours: The total length of the exam marathon.
- ~200 questions: The approximate number of questions students must answer.
- 3% score: The percentage of students who earned a top grade in English this year.
- 4 out of 12: The number of Suneung chiefs who have completed their full term since 1993.
Defending the Rigor
However, not all experts agree. Kim Soo-yeon, an English literature professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, defended the exam's design. She explained that the Suneung is intended to measure a student's ability to cope with the demanding academic material they will face in university.
"It measures whether students can handle the level of material they will encounter at university," she told The Korea Times. According to this view, the specialized and difficult passages are a deliberate tool to test high-level reading comprehension.
An Official Apology and Resignation
Faced with mounting criticism, Oh Seung-geol took public responsibility for the situation. In his resignation statement, he acknowledged the problems caused by the exam's difficulty.
"We sincerely accept the criticism that the difficulty of the questions was inappropriate," Oh stated, admitting the test "fell short" of expectations despite undergoing multiple reviews. His departure highlights the delicate balance officials must strike in creating an exam that is both challenging and fair, a task made more difficult by the immense societal weight placed upon its outcome.
The incident has reignited a national conversation about the purpose of the Suneung and the intense academic pressure it places on South Korean youth. As the country grapples with the fallout, questions remain about how to reform an education system where a single day can define a lifetime.
