On Thursday, South Korea temporarily banned all flights to ensure silence for students taking the country’s highly competitive university admission exam.
According to Reuters, all flights were grounded or barred from landing between 1:05 p.m. and 1:40 p.m., during the listening comprehension section of the English test. The pause lasted 35 minutes, halting over 140 flights, including 65 international arrivals and departures.
The move is part of nationwide measures designed to minimize distractions as more than 500,000 students sat for the annual exam, known as the Suneung, a test widely regarded as one of the most grueling and high-stakes academic challenges in the world.
RELATED STORIES: North Korea Ends Tourism Ban After Four Years
Police Escort Students and Businesses Adjust Schedules
Beyond the airspace lockdown, police officers and government agencies mobilized to ensure that all test-takers arrived on time for the exam.
Police across the country provided emergency escorts for late students, and businesses and government offices opened one hour later than usual to ease traffic congestion near exam centers. The exam, which lasts approximately nine hours, determines admission to South Korea’s most prestigious universities — institutions often regarded as gateways to career success and social mobility.
Officials stated that this year, approximately 554,174 people registered for the exam, marking the highest number since 2019, largely due to the size of the 2007 birth cohort.
Airports and Airlines Cooperate for National Quiet Hour
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport worked closely with airlines and air traffic control to enforce the nationwide flight ban. During the 35-minute window, all takeoffs and landings were paused, ensuring total quiet across the skies. The airspace closure, while brief, required coordination among domestic and international carriers.
Officials said the decision impacted over 140 scheduled flights, affecting both domestic and international routes — a clear sign of the country’s commitment to education and fairness in exam conditions. “All flights were banned from landing or taking off between 1:05 p.m. and 1:40 p.m. to ensure that there were no disturbances while students took the listening comprehension section of their English exam,” Reuters reported.
Why South Korea Takes Its College Entrance Exam So Seriously
The Suneung, officially known as the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), is seen as one of the most defining moments in a South Korean student’s life.
The test determines admission to top-tier universities, such as Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University, and its results can significantly influence job prospects, family reputation, and even future marriage opportunities. Because of this, the entire country slows down each November — trains delay departures, stock markets open late, and even construction work pauses to ensure students can focus without distraction.
Parents gather outside schools to pray, while teachers and volunteers offer moral support to test-takers as they enter one of the most pressure-filled moments of their academic journey.