Young Koreans Sit Socially Distanced University Entrance Exam

The university entrance exam for academic year 2021 started at 1,383 test venues nationwide on Thursday morning, two weeks later than the original date due to the coronavirus epidemic. It was the first time that the exam was conducted in December.

A total of 493,433 students sit the exam, the biggest in the country since the outbreak of coronavirus, and 120,708 proctors and health officials supervise them.

According to the Education Ministry on Wednesday, 35 high school seniors tested positive and 404 others were in self-quarantine as of Tuesday. They sit the exam in separate test venues.

Students arrived before 8:10 a.m. and were allowed to enter exam rooms wearing masks only after temperature checks. The ministry told them to bring warm coats and extra masks since the venues are being regularly ventilated and the weather is icy.

Morning temperatures fell below zero in most parts. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the morning temperatures were between -6 and four degrees Celsius on Thursday, two to four degrees lower than the previous day, plunging to -2 degrees in Seoul, -1 degree in Incheon and Daejeon, 0 degrees in Daegu, and four degrees in Busan.

The highest daytime temperatures were expected to reach three to 12 degrees.

Meanwhile, 540 new cases were added to Korea's daily tally of coronavirus infections on Thursday morning, surpassing 500 for the second day in a row.