"Everyone Stunned by President's Impromptu Remarks... Only the Kids Are Pitied," Sharp Criticism from Top Instructors

Industry Points Out "Teaching Varies Greatly from School to School"

President Yoon Suk-yeol's directive not to include questions outside the curriculum in the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) has thrown students and parents into confusion just five months before the exam. Private education instructors, considered top-tier in their fields, have collectively voiced criticism.

Hyun Woo-jin, classified as a top-tier instructor in the mathematics section, referred to related reports on social networking services (SNS) on the 16th, stating, "Only the kids are unfortunate. Then how are we supposed to handle the September (mock exam) and the CSAT?" He added, "Currently, none of the subjects?Korean, Math, English, or Social Studies?are easy, so please provide clear guidance. Whether it's easy or difficult, it's confusing..."

Photo by Yonhap News

Hyun advised, "As I always say, the June and September mock evaluations and the CSAT are conducted independently, so it’s impossible to predict what will be asked or at what difficulty level in the future. We have no choice but to prepare for all scenarios. Be sure to thoroughly review EBS materials."

History instructor Lee Da-ji lamented, "Teaching varies greatly from school to school and teacher to teacher, and some subjects are not even offered. This message means 'make the CSAT only cover what is taught in schools,' which is disheartening," adding, "The September mock exam and the CSAT remain even more uncertain."

Social Studies instructor Yoon Sung-hoon also said, "Education is a long-term plan, but everyone is in a state of mental breakdown due to the president’s impulsive remarks."

Korean language instructor Lee Won-jun pointed out, "Korea is relatively equal in education and has strong motivation for learning. Compared to Japan and the UK, where young people are apathetic, or the US, where competition is fierce but academic achievement tends to be inherited, Korea maintains fairness and efficiency," adding, "If there is no better alternative, premature intervention becomes a cause of problems rather than a solution."

Regarding the 'non-literary section,' which President Yoon identified as a key area for improvement, he said, "The CSAT non-literary section aligns with the global trend of fostering critical thinking skills. If the CSAT non-literary section is neutralized, the Korean language test will focus mainly on classical literature or Middle Korean in the AI era, causing Korean elites to lose national competitiveness and fall behind."

As students, parents, and industry insiders expressed sharp criticism, the Ministry of Education attempted to clarify, stating, "The president was not talking about making the CSAT easier or harder but was referring to the scope of the questions." However, within the education community, the prevailing opinion is that the CSAT will at least not become more difficult.

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