Taking S. Korea's grueling exam in COVID times
Nearly half a million students in South Korea took the biggest exam of their lives on Thursday (December 3), right in the middle of the country's third coronavirus wave.
The grueling College Scholastic Ability Test lasts 8 hours. It's seen as a life-defining exam for high school seniors to secure admission to a prestigious university, and possibly set them on the path to the scarce few corporate jobs at South Korea's big corporations like Samsung.
But preparing for this year's test proved even more stressful than usual, with the coronavirus forcing many students to stop attending private lessons and cram schools.
And the recent rise in infections forced authorities to double the number of exam venues to allow for social distancing, conduct temperature checks at testing sites, and separate desks using plastic screens.
19-year-old Jeon Young-jin was one of this year's test-takers.
"Since I'm sitting for this exam for a second time, I think taking the test is my first priority even though there's a risk of infection. I just want to finish the test, that's all I'm thinking about."
Even some 30 students who have tested positive for COVID-19 took the test at designated hospitals, while special venues were set up for another 400-plus in self-quarantine.
Test proctors for the confirmed and suspected cases were required to wear protective equipment, collect exam papers in plastic bags, and wipe them down before handing over to staff outside.
South Korea has tightened its social distancing curbs in recent weeks, as the country's number of daily coronavirus cases hovers around 500 a day -- a level not seen since March.
