S. Korea holds college entrance exam after delay by quake

SEOUL, Nov. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea held the state-administered college entrance exam nationwide Thursday, a week after its initial schedule as it was delayed due to the earthquake that hit the country's southeast last week. A total of 593,527 applicants sat for the College Scholastic Aptitude Test (CSAT) in some 1,180 designated schools around the country, according to the Ministry of Education. The exam was originally slated for last Thursday. But it was abruptly delayed after a 5.4 magnitude quake struck the southeastern coast of Pohang on Nov. 15, a day before the test, causing serious damage to buildings, including schools. The education ministry made the emergency announcement late Wednesday night that the test would be held a week later. Some 2,000 students in Pohang have been redesignated to other schools to take the exam. The authorities said they have readied plans in case of any aftershocks. The exam is deemed extremely important for students and parents over the long-held perception here that getting into a good college is the way to career success. Every year on the day of the exam, police forces are dispatched in the early morning to escort students to their designated schools by motorcycles during the rush hour. This year was no exception. Police sent 18,000 officers and 4,800 vehicles to the test sites nearby to provide students with any special help they need. As of 11:30 a.m., a police tally shows that there were more than 1,000 cases in which police dropped students off at schools due to traffic jams or because students went to the wrong schools. Firefighters even received emergency calls from two houses in provincial cities where students found themselves locked inside because their doors were jammed. Government-affiliated firms and other public companies started their day an hour later than usual. The stock markets opened an hour late. Public transportation, including subways and trains, increased their service for the day. Aircrafts were banned from landing and taking off during the 30-minute English listening test in the afternoon. The unprecedented postponement of the test by a natural disaster has caused a chain of changes and readjustments in business sectors as well. Shopping centers have put off their post-CSAT sales plans, and travel agencies offered to reschedule flights booked by students without additional fees. elly@yna.co.kr (END)