South Korea's Suneung English Chief Quits Over 'Insane' Test Difficulty
December 12, 2025
South Korea’s tough college entrance exam, known as Suneung, has caused its English section chief to resign over the test's difficulty. Oh Seung-geol quit after many criticized this year's English questions as "insane" and "confusing." "We sincerely accept the criticism that the difficulty of questions... was inappropriate," Oh said. The exam includes hard questions on Kant's philosophy and a tricky gaming jargon passage. Students must manage 45 questions in 70 minutes. Only 3% scored the highest grade this year compared to 6% last year. Student Im Na-hye said, "It took me a long time to figure out [several questions] and understanding the texts themselves was tricky." Experts say the test puzzles more than it educates. Professor Jung Chae-kwan says, "The texts aren't necessarily impossible, but... maddeningly confusing." Some passages are taken out of context, adding to the confusion. Others defend the test's difficulty, noting it measures university-level reading skills. The Suneung lasts eight hours and affects students’ futures deeply. It halts daily life in South Korea, grounding flights and stopping construction on test day. Oh is the first Suneung chief to resign over difficulty, marking a rare move in this high-pressure exam's history.
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Tags:
South korea
Suneung
College Entrance Exam
English Test
Exam Difficulty
Resignation
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