Students File Lawsuit After Bell Rang 90 Seconds Early

In a dramatic turn of events, a group of South Korean students filed a lawsuit against the government after their crucial college admission examination ended 90 seconds early.

The lawsuit seeks 20 million won ($15,400; £12,000) per student, the estimated cost of a year’s study to retake the exam.

How Did Everything Happen?

The Incident

On November 16, 2023, over half a million students took the grueling Suneung exam, an eight-hour marathon with back-to-back papers in multiple subjects.

At a test site in Seoul, the bell rang 90 seconds earlier than scheduled during the Korean language test, the first subject of the exam. Despite immediate protests from some students, the supervisors collected the papers and ended the session.

Recognizing the error before the next session began, the teachers attempted to rectify the mistake by giving back the lost time during the lunch break. However, students were only allowed to fill in blank columns and were not permitted to alter any existing answers.

This situation caused significant distress among the students. Therefore many stated they were unable to focus on the remainder of the exam. Some students even abandoned the exam and returned home.

Legal Action

At least 39 students, represented by lawyer Kim Woo-suk, filed a lawsuit on December 19, 2023. They argued that the premature ending of the exam and the subsequent handling of the situation affected their performance. They claim that the lack of an apology from education authorities exacerbated their distress.

This is not an isolated incident. Earlier in April, a court in Seoul awarded 7 million won ($5,250) to students affected by a similar timing error during the 2021 Suneung exam.

The Importance of the Suneung Exam

The Suneung exam is one of the most challenging exams in the world and plays a pivotal role in South Korean society. It determines university placements, job prospects, and even future social status and relationships.

On exam day, the country takes extraordinary measures to minimize distractions, including closing airspace and delaying stock market openings.

Previous Incidents and Legal Precedents

Timing errors during the Suneung exam have led to legal action in the past. In 2020, students and their parents successfully sued the state and Seoul city government after a bell rang three minutes early during the exam. An appeals court in April ordered the state to award each affected student seven million won (£4,250).

The current lawsuit highlights the immense pressure South Korean students face and the high stakes associated with the Suneung exam. It underscores the need for meticulous administration of the exam and accountability from educational authorities to ensure fairness and accuracy.

As the lawsuit progresses, it remains to be seen how the South Korean government and education authorities will respond to these serious allegations and what measures will be implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Were the students right to sue? Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments.

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