South Korea Pauses For Suneung

Every November in South Korea, the entire country slows down for the College Scholastic Ability Test, or Suneung, the high-stakes university entrance exam taken by hundreds of thousands of students. On test day, shops delay opening, banks and government offices shorten hours, the stock market opens late, construction noise stops near test sites, military training pauses, and planes are grounded or rerouted during the listening section to keep things quiet. Police even offer motorcycle escorts for late students.

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