As hundreds of thousands of college applicants take the annual scholastic ability test on Thursday,... traffic, planes and even the stock market will be put on hold across the country in the morning.
Oh Soo-young has the details.
Starting from 8:40 AM on Thursday,... South Korea will be on silent mode,... as high school seniors and college applicants take the biggest exam of their lives.
Government authorities will roll out measures to create optimal conditions for those taking the test beginning with morning traffic.
To facilitate a smooth journey to the test sites,... Seoul will extend the morning rush hour subway period by two hours, so it lasts from 6 AM to 10 AM, …with extra trains throughout the day.
Downtown buses will also run more frequently between 6 and 8:10 AM …and 16-thousand additional private taxis will operate from 4 AM to noon.
More than 800 vehicles will be on standby near subway stations and bus stops to help transport students to their test sites free of charge.
To clear the roads for test takers, public sector employees will go to work an hour later than usual at 10 AM.
The education ministry has also asked private companies to adjust their work hours.
The military will refrain from large-scale movements between 6 AM and 8:10 AM.
On top of that, all flights,... except emergency aircraft,... will be banned from taking off or landing during the English listening test from 1:05 PM to 1:40 PM.
Also, South Korea's stock markets will open an hour later at 10 AM,... and close an hour later at 4:30 PM.
This year, nearly 550-thousand students across Korea will take the College Scholastic Ability Test, or Suneung as it's known in Korea.
Oh Soo-young, Arirang News.