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'Kant took Suneung, too': Test-takers tormented by 18th-century philosopher
“Do you think (Immanuel) Kant knows? That centuries later he is inflicting so much pain on students in an East Asian country? In the Korean, English and electives sections. Do you think Kant knows?” read a post uploaded by a test-taker to Orbi, an online community for college admissions, on Thursday after the annual College Scholastic Ability Test, or Suneung, ended. Immanuel Kant is the 18th-century German philosopher whose work on ethics, metaphysics and human reason fundamentally reshaped mod
Nov. 14, 2025 -
English section of Suneung deemed tougher than last year: Can you solve these questions?
This year’s English section on the College Scholastic Ability Test, or Suneung, was more difficult than last year, according to teachers and education experts. “(The English section) was a bit more difficult than last year’s Suneung and similar to the September mock exam,” said Kim Ye-ryeong, a teacher at Daewon Foreign Language High School, who appeared on the state-run Educational Broadcasting System on Thursday after Suneung ended. Kim noted that while this year’s exam contained no so-called
Nov. 14, 2025 -
The storm before the calm: A day before Suneung, cheer rallies echo around Korea
On Wednesday morning, epic cheers echoed across high schools in Korea the day before Suneung, the nation’s annual College Scholastic Ability Test. Suneung is a nine-hour exam that is taking place today, bringing the nation to a near-standstill as students sit for the test that will shape their futures. In support, 10th and 11th graders cheered for seniors taking the test the next day. Joongdong High School stands out every year for its powerful, synchronized cheer rallies. The event, which begin
Nov. 13, 2025 -
Engines stop, markets wait: Korea stands still for Suneung day
The big day is just a few sleeps away — the day for which every Korean student has been preparing for years, sacrificing weekends and fun: Suneung, the College Scholastic Ability Test. With just some 24 hours to go to Thursday’s nationwide exam, experts are urging students to set aside their books and instead focus on sleep, nutrition and calm preparation. Medical experts warn that last-minute cramming does little good and can even hurt performance. “Many students have been studying long hours w
Nov. 11, 2025 -
S. Korea to foster AI talent across all stages of life
After South Korea scrapped its ambitious plan to introduce artificial intelligence-powered digital textbooks, the government is taking another step to cement its standing as a global AI leader — this time, by investing 1.4 trillion won ($960 million) to nurture AI talent from elementary school to postgraduate researchers. The Education Ministry on Monday announced its first-ever national blueprint titled “AI Talent Development Plan for All,” aimed at strengthening AI capabilities throughout a pe
Nov. 10, 2025 -
Dozens of university applicants rejected for school violence records ― and this gets warm welcome
For generations of South Korean students, college admission has been more than an academic milestone. It has been the gateway to social mobility, job stability and lifelong status. Now, in an unprecedented shift in education policy, flagship national universities across the country, including the nation’s most prestigious Seoul National University, have begun rejecting applicants with records of school violence. According to data obtained by minor Rebuilding Korea Party lawmaker Rep. Kang Kyung-
Nov. 3, 2025 -
South Korea’s youngest children now at center of rising antidepressant use, data shows
The number of children prescribed antidepressants in South Korea more than doubled in just three years. New data from South Korea’s national health insurance system shows that 38,303 children aged 7 to 12 were prescribed antidepressants in 2024. That figure has surged 104 percent since 2021, when just 18,769 received such treatment. Prescriptions for teenagers aged 13 to 17 also climbed sharply, up 73 percent over the same period to nearly 99,000. While teens still account for the majority of ch
Oct. 1, 2025 -
Arizona State University chief maps 22nd century college model through AI
Artificial intelligence is “everywhere and impossible to ignore,” and universities must harness it to empower rather than replace human learning, Arizona State University President Michael Crow said in an interview during his visit to Seoul this week. “With its unique ability to instantaneously transfer detailed information across time and generations, AI demonstrates the powerful potential to transform how we teach, learn and work,” Crow said, adding that ASU is committed to “advancing the thou
Sept. 29, 2025 -
More than half of foreign students in Korea lack study-level language skills under weak policy oversight
More than half of international students pursuing degrees at South Korean universities lack the Korean or English proficiency needed to follow their coursework, raising concerns over the country’s push to attract overseas students without adequate support systems. Data released by the Ministry of Education on Friday revealed that only about one-third, or 34 percent, of degree-seeking international students in 2024 had reached Level 4 or higher on the official Korean language proficiency exam kno
Sept. 21, 2025 -
Korea eyes AI future, but classrooms struggle to prepare generation meant to lead
South Korea wants to be a world leader in artificial intelligence, but its schools are grappling to prepare the next generation amid confusion concerning what should be taught and, naturally, a lack of qualified faculty to do just that. In 2022, the Education Ministry announced that coding would become a mandatory subject in middle schools from 2025 and in elementary schools from 2026. The plan was part of a national drive to expand AI talent and prepare the next generation for a digital future.
Sept. 17, 2025 -
Lee's policy blueprint takes aim at educational imbalances
South Korea has long wrestled with deep regional disparities in education and sky-high private tuition costs, with a widening gap between students whose families can afford it and those whose cannot. Against this backdrop, the Lee Jae Myung administration on Wednesday announced six key education proposals designed to break the capital-centric hierarchy among schools, strengthen public schooling and prepare talent for the artificial intelligence era. The measures were introduced as part of a broa
Sept. 17, 2025 -
Despite fewer students, more classrooms 'overcrowded' as schools slow to adapt
South Korea is seeing more of what the government defines as "overcrowded" classrooms, especially in middle and high schools, despite a shrinking school-age population. Data from the Ministry of Education on Thursday showed that 16.8 percent of all classes in elementary, middle and high schools in 2025 had 28 or more students, classifying them as overcrowded. The rate was up from 16.5 percent last year, with 39,123 of 231,708 total classes exceeding the threshold. Elementary schools reported imp
Sept. 13, 2025 -
Lee vows to increase defense spending, modernize alliance with US
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday pledged to boost defense spending, vowing a more proactive role for Seoul in its alliance with the United States in President Donald Trump's second term. In a speech at the Statesmen’s Forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Lee said his administration would build a "smart, elite military" to address 21st-century security challenges, stressing that Korea’s defense commitment to the alliance would remain iro
Aug. 26, 2025 -
Finance chief urges science institutions to lead AI-driven 'super innovation' economy
Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol called on the nation's four major science and technology institutions Tuesday to take the lead in transforming South Korea's economy through "super innovation" centered around artificial intelligence. Koo made the call during a meeting with the heads of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, and Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology. "To g
Aug. 12, 2025 -
Gangnam students are quitting school, but not their studies
Gangnam, Seocho and Songpa, known collectively as Seoul’s “Gangnam 3 districts” and home to South Korea’s most competitive school zones, recorded the highest dropout rates among general high schools in the capital last year. According to the Korea Educational Development Institute’s regional dropout statistics released Sunday, both Gangnam-gu and Seocho-gu posted dropout rates of 2.7 percent in 2024, meaning that two to three out of every 100 students left school before graduation. Songpa-gu fol
Aug. 10, 2025