On Thursday, November 19, 2026, about 550,000 people will sit Korea's national university entrance exam, the College Scholastic Ability Test (대학수학능력시험), known as the Suneung (수능). This article answers a practical question: what does the Korean government, and parts of the private sector, actually change for one day, and what is the exam being run for?
The figures come from the Ministry of Education's measures announced on October 20, 2026, the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation's (한국교육과정평가원) implementation plan, and Korean press coverage. Where a number comes from a private analysis rather than an official release, the text says so.
The Exam in Numbers
Per the Ministry of Education's measures reported on the government's policy briefing site, the exam runs from 8:40 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. at 1,312 test sites across 85 test districts. Applicants total 551,864, down 2,310 from last year. For candidates with accommodations, the end time is 9:48 p.m.
| Item | 2027 academic-year exam (held Nov. 19, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Applicants | 551,864 (down 2,310 year on year) |
| Test sites / districts | 1,312 sites in 85 districts |
| Hours | 8:40 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. |
| English listening section | 17 of 45 questions, within 25 minutes (1:10 to 1:35 p.m.) |
| Scores released | By December 11, 2026 |
| Maximum candidates per room | 28 |
The exam structure, according to the implementation plan announced on March 31, covers Korean, mathematics, English, Korean history, an inquiry section (social studies, science, vocational) and a second foreign language or classical Chinese (한문). Social and science inquiry offer 17 elective subjects, and candidates may take up to two. English, Korean history and the second foreign language/Chinese section are graded on an absolute scale rather than against other candidates. About 50% of questions, by count, remain linked to EBS (Educational Broadcasting System) study materials.
What "Suneung" Means, and Where It Came From
The full name, 대학수학능력시험, breaks into "university" (대학), "ability to study" (수학능력) and "test" (시험). A government policy briefing history describes the intent as selecting people qualified to study at university. The exam replaced the earlier Achievement Test (학력고사), which critics said rewarded memorizing fragmented facts across nine subjects.
The Ministry announced the plan in April 1991, and the first Suneung was held on August 20, 1993. The same source notes that subjects were added over time and that later criticism said the new test had come to resemble the old one. This history is useful context for why the exam is repeatedly redesigned, but the article does not claim to settle that debate.
The One-Day National Playbook
On October 20, the Ministry of Education reported a support package to the cabinet titled, in Korean, a plan for stable exam administration. As summarized by SBS Biz and the policy briefing, it includes:
| Area | Measure |
|---|---|
| Workplaces | Public agencies and companies are asked to start work after 10:00 a.m. |
| Subway | More trains in the Seoul metropolitan area from 6:00 to 8:10 a.m. |
| Emergency rides | Police and agencies place emergency transport vehicles along routes |
| Test-site traffic | Vehicle access blocked from about 200 m before each site |
| Listening test (1:10 to 1:35 p.m.) | Aircraft and helicopter takeoffs and landings rescheduled; military artillery and tank drills paused |
| Nearby noise | Buses and trains slow down and avoid horns; construction and events asked to limit noise |
| Weather | Test-site weather published on the Korea Meteorological Administration site from Nov. 13 |
| Safety | Snow-removal and transport plans, including remote islands; inspections of every site by 17 education offices; earthquake-response checks |
The 25-minute English listening section is the window around which the noise-related measures (aircraft, drills, traffic) are scheduled.
The Part Most Guides Miss: Financial Markets Open Late
The change reaches beyond education. According to a Kyunghyang Shinmun report on the Korea Exchange's November 5 announcement, the regular stock markets (KOSPI, KOSDAQ and KONEX) open at 10:00 a.m. instead of the usual time, one hour later than normal, and close at 4:30 p.m. No pre-market session is held, and the alternative exchange Nextrade also skips its pre-market that day. Stock and interest-rate derivatives such as KOSPI 200 futures trade from 9:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; the night market opens at 7:00 p.m., an hour later than usual.
The exchange's one-hour shift matches the government's request that workplaces start after 10:00 a.m. on the same day. The report does not state the exchange's reasoning beyond the exam date.
How Flights Are Handled: Last Year's Detail
The 2026 flight-by-flight figures were not found in the sources reviewed. Last year's notice shows how the mechanism works. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said that for the exam on November 13, 2025, all takeoffs and landings were suspended nationwide from 1:05 to 1:40 p.m., a 35-minute window including five minutes before and after the listening test. Aircraft already in flight had to hold at 3 km or higher, and drones and ultralight aircraft were barred. In total, 140 flights, 65 international and 75 domestic, had their times adjusted, and airlines were told to notify passengers in advance.
This year's rules for the listening window are the same in outline, but the ministry's own figures for 2026 should be checked before treating last year's numbers as a forecast. One news outlet attributes the aircraft measures to the Ministry of Education, others to the transport ministry, which is the usual aviation authority.
Who Is Taking It This Year
Of the 551,864 applicants, an analysis by the private Jongro Academy (종로학원), published on a Hankyung education site, counts 196,473 as repeat or non-school-year candidates (N-su, N수생): 173,706 graduates and 22,767 who passed the high school equivalency exam. That is 35.6% of applicants. The analysis says it is the highest count since the 2004 exam (198,025) and the highest share since 1996 (37.3%).
That is an academy's analysis, not an official breakdown, and the figure for current high school seniors in the same piece (about 355,000) is the remainder after subtracting the repeat candidates, not a published number. The Ministry's own breakdown should be treated as the reference when it is published.
Practical Notes for Visitors
- The measures include vehicle control within about 200 m of test sites and extra subway trains from 6:00 to 8:10 a.m. in the Seoul area.
- Some flights may shift around 1:00 to 1:40 p.m.; check airline notices.
- Stock markets and some derivatives open about an hour later than normal.
- The government has asked, not required, workplaces to start after 10:00 a.m.; individual opening times may vary.
Related Reading on KoreaLore
For another date the whole country marks together, see our piece on Hangul Day's 100th anniversary and the Korean-learning boom. For a seasonal tradition that reshapes household routines in the same month, see kimjang, Korea's UNESCO-listed kimchi-making tradition.
FAQ
When is the 2027 academic-year Suneung?
Thursday, November 19, 2026, from 8:40 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. at 1,312 test sites. Scores are released by December 11.
Do flights really stop during the English listening test?
Takeoffs and landings are rescheduled during the listening window, 1:10 to 1:35 p.m. this year, according to the Ministry of Education. Last year the transport ministry suspended flights for 35 minutes and adjusted 140 flights.
Does the stock market open late on exam day?
Yes. The Korea Exchange said the regular stock markets open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 4:30 p.m. on November 19, with no pre-market session.
Verified as of November 12, 2026. Measures and schedules may be updated by the ministries and the exchange before the exam.
Sources
- Korea Policy Briefing (대한민국 정책브리핑) — 2027 academic-year CSAT day support measures (2026-10-20)
- SBS Biz — Work start at 10:00, vehicle control within 200 m of exam sites (2026-10-20)
- Newsis (뉴시스) — Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation 2027 CSAT plan (2026-03-31)
- Korea Policy Briefing (대한민국 정책브리핑) — History of the College Scholastic Ability Test
- Kyunghyang Shinmun (경향신문) — Korea Exchange trading hours on CSAT day (2026-11-05)
- The Herald Business (헤럴드경제) — Nationwide flight control during CSAT listening test (2025-11-10)
- Hankyung Sgsg (생글생글) — Jongro Academy analysis of repeat CSAT candidates (2026-10-08)