"Let's Witness a Page of History"... Seoul National University Professor Cancels Final Exam

"Everyday Peace at Risk"... Notice to Students
"Please Pay Close Attention to This Page of History"

As the parliamentary vote on the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol failed due to a lack of quorum, it has drawn attention that a professor at Seoul National University canceled the final exam. The professor urged students to “witness a page of history instead of taking the exam.”

Professor A from the College of Engineering at Seoul National University began a notice to students on the 7th by saying, “Dear examinees, unfortunately, this is not a peaceful night.”

He stated, “After last week’s lecture, our society faced an unexpected situation, and I could not help but wonder whether it was right to conclude our lecture in this way,” adding, “In conclusion, the final written exam scheduled for next Monday is canceled.”

Regarding the reason for canceling the exam, Professor A explained, “Assessment is also part of the lecture and must align with the purpose of the lecture,” and “However, considering the purpose and intent of this lecture, which aimed to share perspectives connecting education and society, I judged that a written exam format is highly inappropriate at this time.”

Seoul National University Campus Main Gate
[Image source: Provided by Seoul National University]

He continued, “In this period when everyday peace is threatened, the scene of sitting at a desk writing predetermined answers as if nothing is happening outside the classroom feels increasingly strange the more I think about it.”

Professor A pointed out, “Moreover, if the structure rewards students who divert their attention from the world and put more effort into exam preparation with higher grades, the purpose of assessment is lost and it becomes unfair to someone.”

He apologized to those who had already prepared for the exam and announced that the evaluation method would be changed to submitting a final report instead of the final exam.

He urged the students, “I will give you a generous deadline for the report, so please pay close attention to this page of history and reflect on what our society has failed to learn and what it is currently learning.”