Mistaken Test Site, Taking Exam at Hospital... Various Scenes on Suneung Day

COVID-19 Case Confirmed on Exam Day
Separate Test Sites for Suneung
Police Ensure Traffic Control and Safety Measures

On the morning of the 3rd, the day of the 2021 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), examinees are making final checks at the CSAT testing site set up at Gaepo High School in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] On the 3rd, the day the 2021 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) was held, various incidents occurred nationwide, including test-takers diagnosed with COVID-19 taking the exam at medical centers.

According to Seoul City, a repeat test-taker living in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, was confirmed positive for COVID-19 at 4 a.m. that day and was immediately transferred to Seoul Medical Center. Acting Mayor of Seoul, Seo Jeong-hyeop, stated on a radio show that the test-taker was taking the CSAT normally at a designated testing site set up in the medical center. In Gimcheon, Gyeongbuk Province, a high school senior and his mother were confirmed positive late the previous night. This student was also transferred to Pohang Medical Center, designated as a separate testing site, to take the CSAT.

Earlier, in Daejeon, a colleague teacher of a CSAT supervisor who had contracted COVID-19 (Daejeon case number 517) was confirmed positive, so they were removed from supervising duties and substitute supervisors were deployed. The school completed disinfection and quarantine work overnight, and the CSAT proceeded normally.

There was also a humorous incident where a student with stomach pain took the exam in a hospital or mistakenly went to the wrong test site, prompting police involvement. On the 3rd in Gwangju, a female student taking the CSAT collapsed due to abdominal pain just before the first period Korean language exam and was transported to a nearby hospital by the 119 emergency team. The exam supervisor quickly brought the Korean language test paper and accompanied the student, allowing her to take the exam at the hospital. Fortunately, the student was reported to have no serious health issues.

In Jeonju, Jeonbuk Province, a test-taker who went to the wrong test site barely managed to enter the correct location with police assistance. At 8:06 a.m., student B (18) arrived at Jeonil High School in Hyoja-dong, Jeonju, only to realize late that the test site was Hanil High School. The distance between Jeonil High and Hanil High is about 4 km, and the police transported the student to Hanil High within 5 minutes.

A test-taker hospitalized in a closed ward also took the CSAT separately. The Police Hospital announced that student C, hospitalized for pneumothorax, was taking the exam within the hospital. The hospital supported a separate closed ward with restricted external access to ensure the student could take the exam comfortably and blocked internal broadcasts. Medical staff were on standby in case of emergencies. A hospital official said, "We will do our best to ensure the student can focus on the CSAT without discomfort during the exam."

The police deployed about 13,000 personnel, an increase of around 900 from last year, to manage traffic around test sites during this CSAT. Rapid response teams were stationed at congested intersections near test sites. These teams assisted in transporting test-takers requiring urgent movement and guided large freight vehicles to detour after the exam started to reduce noise. Additionally, 10,750 personnel, 1,500 more than last year, were mobilized to transport CSAT question papers.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.