The government will ask public offices and corporations to adjust office workers' start time to after 10 a.m. on Nov. 13, when the 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) is held. It will also increase the number of metropolitan subway trains during the time students head to test sites.
The Ministry of Education said on the 21st that it reported to a Cabinet meeting the support plan titled "Measures to ensure a stable administration of the 2026 CSAT on test day."
This year's CSAT will be held from 8:40 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. on Nov. 13 at 1,310 test sites (for general test-takers). The number of applicants is 554,174, up 31,504 from last year.
The government plans to reduce morning traffic congestion on the day so test-takers can take the CSAT smoothly. It also plans active support such as preventing noise around test sites during exam hours.
To keep traffic moving smoothly on CSAT day, it will ask public offices and corporations to adjust start times to after 10 a.m. It will increase the number of metropolitan subway trains during the student commute hours (6 a.m.–8:10 a.m.) and support convenient travel by deploying emergency transport vehicles of administrative agencies such as police stations along student travel routes.
To prevent traffic congestion around test sites, vehicle access will be controlled starting 200 meters in front of each site on CSAT day. Test-takers using private cars must get out 200 meters from the site and walk.
From 1 p.m. to 1:35 p.m., the 25-minute window for the listening section of the third period English test, aircraft and helicopter takeoff and landing times will be adjusted. Military exercises such as artillery firing and tank movement will also be temporarily halted during this time.
Outside the listening period, buses, trains and other vehicles passing near test sites should slow down and refrain from using horns so test-takers are not affected by noise around the sites.
The Ministry of Education urged test-takers starting Nov. 7 to check test-site weather information in advance on the Korea meteorological Administration website and prepare for weather conditions. Cities and provinces will draw up measures for transporting students from islands and remote areas and for snow removal in case of bad weather.
To create a safe testing environment, the 17 metropolitan and provincial offices of education will conduct safety inspections of all test sites by the 31st of this month.
The Ministry of Education, together with the Korean National Police Agency and the metropolitan and provincial offices of education, will establish a thorough security system for test booklet management. It will dispatch central cooperation officers from the Ministry of Education to all testing districts to support test booklet management.
Minister Choi Kyo-jin of the Ministry of Education said, "We will spare no support together with all ministries so that test-takers can fully demonstrate the skills they have honed."