South Korean students sue after exam ends 90 seconds early

Dozens of South Korean students have filed a lawsuit against their government after a college admission exam ended 90 seconds early.

Around 40 high-school students from Seoul are claiming 20 million won (£12,000) each in compensation to cover the cost of retaking the College Scholastic Ability Test next year. Known as Suneung, the "infamous" college admission test is "one of the hardest exams in the world", said the BBC, and the "stakes are very high".

An eight-hour marathon of back-to-back papers in multiple subjects, Suneung is "perhaps the most important exam in the education-obsessed country," said The Independent, "where careers, social standings, and even marriage prospects greatly depend on which university a person attends".

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According to a study published by the Korean Economic Association earlier this year, top-tier college graduates earned 24.6% more in their first jobs than the graduates of the lowest-tier colleges, and as much as 50% more by their early 40s.

On test day, usually in November, "airports halt take-offs to reduce noise so that tens of thousands nationwide can focus on their half-hour English listening exams" reported the Washington Post. And offices "delay the start of work to clear morning traffic for students rushing to their test sites".

At the test in Seoul that has led to the lawsuit, authorities confirmed the teacher in charge accidentally pressed the alarm to signal the end of the exam early. Teachers recognised the mistake before the start of the next session and gave the 90 seconds back during the lunch break, but the students claimed they were not allowed to change any existing answers.

Law firm Myungjin, which is representing the students, said the error affected the rest of their exams as they could not fully engage in the following tests. Some gave up entirely and returned home, the Yonhap news agency reported.

In April, a court in Seoul awarded 7 million won (£4,200) to pupils after the bell rang three minutes earlier than planned.