Why does Korea stop planes for a college entrance exam?

What happens on November 19

The Ministry of Education announced the plan for the 2026 test day on October 20. Here is what changes:

• The exam runs from 8:40 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. at 1,312 test sites, for 551,864 registered students.
• During the English listening test, from 1:10 to 1:35 p.m., airplane and helicopter takeoffs and landings are rescheduled, and military artillery fire and tank movements stop.
• Public offices and companies are asked to start work at 10 a.m. or later, to keep the morning roads clear.
• Seoul-area subways run more trains from 6:00 to 8:10 a.m., when students travel to their test sites.
• Traffic is controlled from 200 meters before each test site, and buses and trains passing nearby slow down and avoid using their horns.
• Police and local governments put emergency vehicles along the way to help students get there.

Last year, the same flight rule moved 140 flights, 75 of them international, according to AFP.

Why one exam matters so much

The Suneung is a big part of how students get into university in Korea. AFP calls it essential for admission to top universities and widely seen as a way to move up in life. It is held only once a year, and many students prepare for it for years.

That is why so many people try to help on the day. Every year there are videos of police officers rushing late students to their test sites.

Sticky gifts: 엿 and 찹쌀떡

Before the exam, students get good-luck gifts that are really wordplay. The Korean word 붙다 (butda) means both "to stick" and "to pass an exam," so sticky treats like 엿 (yeot, a chewy taffy) and 찹쌀떡 (chapssaltteok, a sticky rice cake) wish the student a pass.

Two other classics work the same way: toilet paper, because 풀다 (pulda) means both "to unroll" and "to solve," and a fork, because 찍다 (jjikda) means both "to stab" and "to pick an answer" on a multiple-choice test.

These old gifts are getting rare. A 2024 YTN report found that students now often get desserts like chocolate and macarons, cash, or mobile gift cards instead.

What to say to a student

Keep it short and warm: 수능 대박 나세요! or 시험 잘 보세요. Many Koreans also just say 화이팅 (hwaiting), a cheer that means "you can do it."

After the exam, skip questions about the score. A simple 수고했어요 (sugohaesseoyo), "you worked hard," is kinder.

If you are in Korea that day

Expect a quieter morning and a later rush hour. If you have a flight in the early afternoon, check its time with your airline, since takeoffs and landings move around the English listening test. Near schools, keep the noise down.