The 2007 'golden pig' generation caused a record number of students to take the Korean university entrance exam.

The Korean national college entrance exam (College Scholastic Ability Test - CSAT) took place on the morning of November 13, with the highest number of registered candidates in the past 7 years.

12th grade students at Jowon High School (Suwon City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea) are cheered on by teachers and juniors on the morning of November 12 (local time), one day before the national university entrance exam - Photo: YONHAP

According to the Korea Times , on the morning of November 13 (local time), more than 550,000 Korean students took the CSAT exam - considered the most important exam in the country's student life - with the highest number of participants in the past 7 years, partly due to the sudden increase in the birth rate in 2007.

According to the Korean Ministry of Education , this year there were 554,174 registered candidates, an increase of 31,504 people (6%) compared to last year and the highest number since 2018. Of which, 12th graders accounted for 67.1% and independent candidates (graduates) accounted for 28.9%.

The exam took place at 1,310 test sites nationwide, starting at 8:40 a.m. and ending at 5:45 p.m. the same day (local time).

According to the Korea Times , competition for admission to top universities is expected to be fierce due to the large number of applicants and the government's withdrawal of plans to increase medical school enrollment quotas.

Previously in 2024, under former President Yoon Suk Yeol, the quota for training doctors was increased by 1,497 places to 4,610 places to address the shortage of doctors, but then had to return to the old level of 3,123 places due to protests.

Meanwhile, the majority of this year's candidates were born in 2007, the Year of the Pig - considered a symbol of wealth and luck, and therefore has an unusually high birth rate - and are currently in 12th grade, contributing to the sharp increase in the number of candidates.

The CSAT is considered a crucial turning point after years of intense study, determining the academic and career future of Korean students. Therefore, the government has implemented a series of special measures to support candidates on test day.

All take-offs and landings nationwide were suspended from 13:05 to 13:40 (local time) to reduce noise during the English listening section. Aircraft in flight must maintain an altitude of 3km or higher under the direction of air traffic control, except in cases of emergency.

In Seoul, the capital, the subway system added 29 trains between 6am and 10am to help students get to their test sites on time. Even the stock markets delayed trading by an hour – opening at 10am and closing at 4:30pm – to ease morning traffic congestion.

PUBLIC REVELATION

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/lua-heo-vang-2007-khien-ky-thi-dai-hoc-han-quoc-dong-ky-luc-20251113101555429.htm