The head of South Korea's curriculum agency resigned after an English section on this year’s Suneung university entrance exam drew heavy criticism for being overly difficult and confusing. Only just over 3% of candidates achieved the top grade — the lowest since absolute grading began in 2018 — prompting apologies from the agency. Controversial questions on Kant and Hobbes, the nature of time, and video game existence sharpened debate about the pressures of South Korea’s competitive education system.
South Korea Exam Chief Resigns After Backlash Over Controversial, Hard English Test
South Korea's college entry exam -- known locally as the "Suneung" -- is essential for admission to top universities (KIM HONG-JI)(KIM HONG-JI/POOL/AFP)
The head of South Korea's Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation resigned after widespread criticism that an English section he helped design for the country's high-stakes university entrance exam was overly difficult and confusing.
What Happened
This year’s college admission test, commonly known as the Suneung, saw just over 3% of candidates achieve the highest grade in the English section — the lowest top-score rate since absolute grading was introduced in 2018. Test-takers had 70 minutes to answer 45 questions.
Controversial Questions
Several items sparked public outrage and debate. Examples cited by students and commentators included:
- A question asking examinees to evaluate the political philosophies of Immanuel Kant and Thomas Hobbes and to analyse their views on the rule of law.
- An item exploring the nature of time and clocks.
- A prompt asking students to consider how the concept of existence might apply to video game avatars.
One question used the portmanteau "culturtainment", which drew criticism even from an academic reportedly quoted by local media, who said the word is not in common English usage and should not have appeared on the test.
Public Reaction and Institutional Response
The backlash was amplified by the cultural weight of the Suneung: the exam is widely seen as a crucial gateway to top universities, influencing social mobility, future economic prospects and family expectations. In South Korea, the test is taken so seriously that flights nationwide are temporarily grounded for 35 minutes during the English listening section to avoid noise disturbances.
In response to the uproar, Oh Seung-keol, chief of the Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, tendered his resignation and apologised for the English section, saying he felt "a heavy sense of responsibility" and regretted causing concern to test-takers and parents. The institute also issued a formal apology, acknowledging that the test did not meet expectations for difficulty or the goal of reducing students’ academic burden.
Wider Context
Observers say the episode has intensified debate about South Korea’s ultra-competitive education system and its contribution to high rates of teenage stress, depression, and suicide. This month, the National Assembly approved an amendment banning private English-language academies from administering entrance tests to preschool children in an effort to ease early academic pressure.
The sensitivity around scores was highlighted further when the nephew of Samsung Electronics chief Lee Jae-yong reportedly missed only one question on this year’s exam and earned admission to Seoul National University, drawing public attention to the scrutiny and prestige attached to results.
"We take seriously the criticism that the test failed to meet the appropriate level of difficulty and the goal of reducing students' academic burden," the agency said in a statement.
What This Means: The incident has already led to leadership change at the national curriculum agency and may prompt further review of exam design, evaluation standards, and broader education policy reforms aimed at reducing student stress.
