”I don't eat seaweed soup” and ”The stock market opens late”...Korean university entrance exams attract attention from foreign media - Korean reports

The 2026 College Scholastic Aptitude Test was held on the 13th, and foreign media reported with great interest, providing detailed coverage of Korean students taking the test.
On the same day, AFP reported in an article from Seoul that "the College Scholastic Aptitude Test is an essential hurdle for admission to prestigious universities," and that various considerations will be made for test takers.
The media reported that "during the time of the English listening test, all flights will be suspended nationwide for 35 minutes except in emergency situations," and that "banks and government offices will be closed to prevent traffic congestion."
In fact, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will have all employees across the country arrive one hour later for 35 minutes from 1:05 pm to 1:40 pm, including the five minutes before and after the English listening test of the College Scholastic Aptitude Test.
Furthermore, one media outlet stated, "There are many taboos on the day of the College Scholastic Aptitude Test," and "One of the most common myths that is considered taboo by test takers is that
One thing to do is to avoid wakame soup for lunch or bento lunches. This is because eating wakame seaweed, which has a slippery texture, can cause you to "slip up" and fail an important exam.
The media reported that this was due to superstition that the child might die. Parents were also seen visiting nearby churches and temples to pray for their children who were taking the College Scholastic Aptitude Test that day.
AFP interviewed a woman whose son is a test-taker, and she said that she prays when her son is taking the test, stops praying during breaks, and prays during her son's lunch break.
Reuters also reported that "More than 500,000 Koreans took the extremely difficult university entrance exams," and that "police officers are working to help students get through the exams in time."
The British BBC reported, "Korean test-takers will take the marathon-like eight-hour exam on this day, having to solve around 200 questions in one day."
It also said that visually impaired people take the SAT, which lasts 13 hours, much longer than test-takers without disabilities.
In addition, the stock market opening and closing times on the day of the College Scholastic Aptitude Test are
Each session was delayed by one hour, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.