Why South Korea wants to revamp its college English exam
South Korea is moving to overhaul the English section of its high-stakes college entrance exam after last year’s test exposed structural weaknesses and renewed scrutiny over the country’s global English standing.
The Ministry of Education announced reforms on February 11 following criticism of the 2025 College Scholastic Aptitude Test (Suneung), where only 3.11% of candidates achieved the top grade in English, far below the expected 7%.
Because scores are not curved, unexpected spikes in difficulty can significantly affect university admissions outcomes.
A ministry investigation found that 19 English questions were rewritten shortly before the exam, limiting time for proper difficulty assessment. Only 33% of English item writers were active teachers, below the cross-subject average, weakening alignment with classroom learning levels.
What will change
Under the overhaul, at least half of English test writers will be practicing teachers, screening of expertise will be tightened, and an integrated review committee will oversee difficulty calibration.
Artificial intelligence tools will also be introduced to assist with passage generation and difficulty prediction, with pilot use planned for 2028.
Where South Korea lies in global English proficiency
The reforms come as South Korea’s English proficiency faces global comparison.
According to the State University of New York’s (SUNY) South Korean arm, the country placed a lowly 49th in the EF English Proficiency Index 2023. South Korea scored 525 — classified as “moderate proficiency” — down 13 spots from the previous year.
EF English Proficiency Index 2023 ranked the Netherlands first with a score of 661, followed by Singapore at 642, with other top performers concentrated in Northern Europe.
Despite early exposure to English and widespread private education, only a minority of Korean learners attain strong conversational fluency, according to SUNY Korea’s analysis.
“The reasons seem to stem from cultural and social differences, the significant differences between the two languages: Korean and English, and the Korean Educational System,” the university noted.
With the planned overhaul of Suneung’s English section, officials hope the reforms will restore fairness and ensure the exam reflects realistic learning outcomes rather than magnifying systemic gaps.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
