Students wait and study before the exam begins at Gyeongshin Girls’ High School in Buk-gu, Gwangju, on Nov. 16, the day of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). (Photo provided by Yonhap)
SEJONG, Dec. 15 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s Education Ministry said Monday it has begun a thorough review of how this year’s English section of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) was designed and vetted, after the unusually high level of difficulty triggered a national backlash and drew international media attention.
The ministry acknowledged that the exam, which is graded on an absolute scale, imposed an “undue burden” on students, with spokesperson Jeong Byeong-ik saying the government would “examine every stage of test creation and review to develop fundamental reforms and prevent a recurrence.”
Only 3.11 percent of the 487,941 students who took the 2026 academic-year exam scored 90 or above—the threshold for the top grade—marking the lowest rate since absolute grading was introduced in 2018. The proportion was even lower than the 4 percent benchmark typically associated with relative grading.
The unusually tough exam attracted attention abroad. The BBC and The New York Times highlighted the difficulty of the English section, with the BBC describing some questions—one involving Immanuel Kant’s legal philosophy, another referencing gaming terminology—as “insane.”
On Dec. 5, the day 2026 CSAT score reports were released, a senior student at Daegu Girls’ High School anxiously checks her results in a third-year classroom. (Yonhap)
British newspapers The Independent and The Guardian also covered the controversy, underscoring the pressure South Korean students face in an intensely competitive system that has long been linked to high levels of adolescent stress and mental-health concerns.
Education Minister Choi Gyo-jin expressed regret over the distress caused to students and parents, noting that many earned lower grades than expected despite strong preparation. Ministry officials said an investigation into the test-setting process is already underway.
The furor has reignited debate over the future of the CSAT itself. Speaking on CBS Radio, Choi said calls to abolish the test outright require “careful consideration,” adding that the ministry is exploring how university admissions should evolve under the expanding high school credit system. He also raised concerns that a recent proposal by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to eliminate the CSAT entirely by 2040 could create further confusion.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
