South Korea’s Exam Chief Resigns After Backlash Over Exceptionally Difficult English Test
South Korea’s top exam administrator has resigned following nationwide criticism that this year’s English section of the country’s highly competitive university entrance exam was excessively difficult. The resignation comes after students, parents and educators expressed concern that the unusually challenging test undermined the principles of fairness the system is meant to uphold.
The College Scholastic Ability Test, commonly known as the “Suneung,” is one of the most consequential exams in South Korea. It serves as the gateway to prestigious universities and heavily influences students’ career prospects, economic mobility and even social standing. For many families, performance on the Suneung is viewed as a decisive moment in a student’s life.
This year, however, the English test produced the lowest top-tier score rate since absolute grading for the subject was introduced in 2018. Only slightly more than three percent of examinees achieved the highest grade. Students were asked to complete 45 questions within 70 minutes, but several questions were criticized for being far beyond the level anticipated for a national standardized exam.
One prompt required students to compare the political philosophies of Immanuel Kant and Thomas Hobbes by examining their interpretations of the rule of law. Another explored the abstract nature of time and the purpose of clocks. A separate question examined how philosophical concepts of existence apply to avatars within video games. Many parents argued that such topics were more appropriate for university-level coursework than for an entrance exam taken by high school seniors.
The backlash was especially strong given how seriously the country takes exam day. For the English listening test, flights are grounded nationwide for more than half an hour to eliminate sound disruptions. The difficulty of the 2025 exam not only shocked students but also raised questions about whether the exam body had strayed from its own guidelines.
Following the controversy, Oh Seung-keol, head of the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, stepped down. In a statement, the institute acknowledged his “heavy sense of responsibility” and apologized for creating unnecessary anxiety for students and parents. The organization also admitted that the test failed to meet its intended difficulty standard and did not help reduce academic pressure.
South Korea’s education system has long been criticized for its intense pressure, which experts link to high rates of youth stress and one of the world’s highest teenage suicide rates. The scrutiny over exam difficulty comes at a time when lawmakers are actively trying to reduce academic burdens, including a recent ban preventing private English institutes from administering entrance tests to preschoolers.
The issue gained further media attention this week when the nephew of Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong reportedly missed only one question on the exam, securing a spot at the prestigious Seoul National University. His performance added another layer of public discussion around fairness, access and societal expectations linked to exam scores.
