Parents: "I Hope They Do Their Best Without Regrets"
Juniors: "In Two Years, That Will Be Me... Wishing You Success"
The National Police Agency announced on November 13 that it had provided 234 forms of assistance related to the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), including escorting examinees to test sites.
Police officers at Suwon Yeongtong Police Station in Gyeonggi are attaching notices to police motorcycles to be used for special traffic control during the college entrance exam. Photo by Yonhap News
According to the police, the most common form of assistance was transporting examinees in patrol cars, which occurred 134 times. This was followed by 36 cases of police escort, 16 instances of retrieving lost test identification slips, and 48 cases of other assistance such as moving illegally parked vehicles.
One notable case involved a traffic accident at around 5:43 a.m. near the Paltan Junction on the Seohaean Expressway in Gyeonggi Province, heading toward Seoul, which resulted in a full road closure and stranded a test taker. The Highway Patrol Unit of the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency transported the examinee 50 kilometers by patrol car to Ewha Girls’ High School in Jung-gu, Seoul. The examinee arrived safely at the test site. At around 7:57 a.m. in Daejeon, police found a test taker who had forgotten their wallet and transported them approximately 2 kilometers to the test site by patrol car.
On the 13th, the day of the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test, a mother is hugging her examinee child at Yongsan High School in Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung
At around 6:00 a.m., Kim Siu (19, third-year student at Sejong High School), wearing Crocs and a hoodie, was the first to arrive at Banpo High School, which served as the 21st test site in the 18th district under the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. Kim said, "I am trying to control my mind by thinking of this as just another mock test. I am not too nervous and plan to calmly solve the problems."
Lim Hyunmin (19, third-year student at Seongdong High School), who was the first to arrive at Yongsan High School, the 7th test site in the 15th district, at 6:26 a.m., said, "I want to do my best so that what I learned at school does not go to waste. I am excited because I believe that, having worked hard, I will have a bright future."
The first examinee to arrive at Yeouido Girls’ High School, the 14th test site in the 13th district, was Kim Chaeni (19, third-year student at Oryu High School), who arrived at 6:28 a.m. Kim said, "There are so many test takers this year that I am worried the test will be especially difficult, but I am also concerned about whether I can do well. I came early to get used to the unfamiliar school and to change my seat if the chair wobbled." She added, "Rather than thinking I have to do perfectly, I just want to do what I always do and avoid making mistakes."
On the morning of the 13th, when the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) was held, examinees were preparing for the exam at the test site set up at Gyeongbok High School in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Joint Press Corps
Parents, watching their children’s backs as they entered the test sites, clasped their hands in prayer, unable to walk away easily, wishing for their children’s success. Kwon Sujeong (53) said, "It has been a tough journey, and it feels bittersweet that everything comes down to this test. I told my child to take it easy and joked that there is always another chance next year."
Kim Hyeyeon (49), whom we met in front of Yeouido Girls’ High School, said, "My child never attended a cram school and always studied independently, so I always felt a bit sorry. But seeing her enter the test site with a bright face today made me feel much better. I hope she gets into the university she wants, but since that’s not everything in life, I just hope she doesn’t make any mistakes."
Jung Gilhun (50) and Cho Jinhee (47), a couple who watched the test site for over an hour after their child entered Gyeongbok High School, the first test site in the 15th district, at around 7:00 a.m., said, "Our child said he would do well and was not nervous at all, but we are actually more nervous than he is. We hope he does his best without any regrets or mistakes, just as he has done so far."
On the 13th, the day of the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test, students from Baemun High School are cheering for senior test takers at Yongsan High School in Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung
The voices of students cheering for their seniors remained strong. Koo Geonmin (17, first-year student at Jungdong High School), who began cheering early in front of Banpo High School, said, "I will take the CSAT in two years, and I wonder if I will feel the same way or be even more nervous. The test site is far from Jungdong High School, so I know our seniors had a hard time getting here. I hope they do well and achieve great results."
Park Junseo (19, third-year student at Jungdong High School), a test taker who received support from his juniors, said, "I didn’t expect my juniors to come and cheer for me, but I’m not very nervous. Since they came to support me, I’ll try to do my best."
Choi Kyojin, Minister of Education, also visited the test site to offer words of encouragement. At 7:35 a.m. that day, Minister Choi visited Yeouido Girls’ High School, telling the examinees, "Take the test with a calm mind," and gave each of them a high five.
On the 13th, the day of the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test, a mother is cheering for her examinee child at Yongsan High School in Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung
There were also some unique forms of support in front of Gyeongbok High School. A foreigner was handing out chocolate bars to examinees. Wally (41), who is from Canada, explained, "I know that Korean students go through a lot because of the CSAT, so I wanted to support them." Hwang (35), who accompanied Wally, added, "I live nearby, and Gyeongbok High School is the most famous place for cheering on test takers, so I wanted to come here to show my support."
As the entry deadline approached, the area in front of the test sites became somewhat hectic. At Banpo High School, at 8:04 a.m., a student got out of a police car and hurried to the test site with encouragement from a police officer. Then, at 8:08 a.m., a courier delivered a test identification slip to another examinee.
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