Korea’s CSAT Day on Nov 19, 2026: Flights, Offices, Banks and Subways

South Korea’s college entrance exam, the CSAT or suneung, takes place on Thursday, Nov 19, 2026. On exam day planes are grounded during the English listening section, offices and banks open later, and extra subway trains and buses run in the morning. This guide lays out what was done in 2024 and 2025 so you can plan a trip or a commute around it.

What the exam is and how big it is

The CSAT is held once a year, in November, and it is a major factor in South Korea’s university admissions. The Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation announced 551,864 applicants for the 2027 exam, which is the one sat on Nov 19, 2026. That is 2,310 fewer than the previous year. Current high school students number 355,391, down 16,506, while graduates and other repeat test takers number 196,473, which is 35.6% of all applicants and the highest count in 23 years, according to the Kyunghyang Shinmun. This is also the last CSAT under the current elective subject system.

Flights: the 35-minute pause

The disruption visitors hear about most is in the air. During the English listening section, all flights in South Korea except emergency flights are grounded for 35 minutes. In 2024 that window ran from 1:05 PM to 1:40 PM. Planes that were already airborne had to stay at or above 3 km (9,842 ft), and schedules for 156 flights, 58 international and 98 domestic, were adjusted. AFP’s report on the 2025 exam repeats the same 35-minute grounding. In 2024, airlines were to notify affected passengers in advance.

Offices, banks and the morning rush

To keep roads clear, public offices and many companies open an hour later on exam day. In 2024 the government advised organisations to start after 10 AM, and banks ran from 10 AM to 5 PM rather than 9 AM to 4 PM. In Seoul, 31 extra subway trains ran from 6 AM to 10 AM. Buses ran more often between 6 AM and 8:10 AM and again from 6 PM to 9 PM. About 2,300 officials, volunteers and police were posted near exam sites, and about 670 cars stood by to take latecomers to their seats.

Outside Seoul the details varied. In Seongnam, about 500 taxis offered free rides from 7 AM to 8 AM, and in Daejeon students could ride the subway free by showing their exam slip. Noise was controlled around the 1,282 test sites nationwide, with construction paused nearby and noisy military drills suspended.

If you are travelling on Nov 19

1. Check your airline’s notices if you fly to or from Korea that afternoon. In 2024 airlines were to notify passengers whose flights fell near the listening window.
2. Avoid being in transit during the pause itself. In 2024 it ran from 1:05 to 1:40 PM, so check the 2026 time before you book.
3. In the morning, expect crowded subways and buses and extra services. Leave extra time, and avoid roads and entrances close to exam schools.
4. Plan banking and office errands for another day. Government offices and banks open later on Nov 19.
5. Keep voices down around schools. Authorities ask for noise control near test sites.

• Flight time checked against the airline’s exam-day notice
• Morning transport plan with extra time
• Bank or government errand moved to another day
• Airport transfer booked outside the listening window

Frequently asked questions