韓国で大学入試、医大定員増で再受験者最多

【ソウルＡＦＰ＝時事】韓国で１４日朝、大学入試共通試験「修学能力試験（スヌン）」が始まった。今年は医学部の入学定員が増えたのを背景に、再受験者数が過去最多となった。（写真は大学修学能力試験〈スヌン〉を受ける受験生。ソウルの高等学校で）
　試験は９時間に及ぶ。今年は３分の１近くが再受験生で、その多くが医学部への入学を希望している。
　韓国政府は今年２月、医学部定員を引き上げる政策を打ち出したが、これに現役の医師らが反発。研修医の大規模ストも行われた。それでも政策は推し進められ、全国の病院では約９か月にわたって混乱が続いている。
　試験は全国の１２００以上の会場で行われる。今年は５２万２６７０人が受験する。
　受験生が試験に集中できるよう、さまざまな支援策が講じられた。
　英語のリスニング試験の最中には、緊急時を除き航空機の発着が禁じられ、計１５６便でスケジュールが変更された。
　また、交通騒音を低減するために走行速度制限が設けられたほか、公共交通機関労組とはクラクションの使用制限で合意がなされた。
　さらには、試験会場への移動に支障が出ないよう、一部企業では始業時刻の調整が求められ、株式市場も１時間遅れの午前１０時から取引が開始された。
　遅刻しそうな受験生を学校までエスコートする警察官の姿も見られた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/11/14-20:25）

South Korean students are sitting a crucial university entrance exam Thursday, with a record number re-taking the test in a bid to capitalise on reforms that made it easier to get into medical school.
Nearly a third of those sitting the nine-hour exam this year are retaking it -- the highest percentage ever -- as people hope to join expanded cohorts of trainee doctors.
Lee Sang-joon, 21, who is taking the test for the third time, told AFP he was so happy when he learned about the reforms, which gave him fresh hope of pursuing a medical career.
This year is his final chance to succeed, he said.
It was nearly impossible to go to medical school, the top 0.01 percent in the country could go in. Now it's about 0.015 percent, which sounds like a chance to me.
Thousands of trainee doctors and medical students stopped working in February in protest of the plans, which sharply increased the number of places available for trainee doctors.
But the government has pressed ahead, even as a roughly nine-month work stoppage has hit hospitals across the country.
Good results on the test -- locally known as Suneung, a Korean abbreviation for the College Scholastic Ability Test -- are essential for admission to top universities.
They are also widely seen as a pathway to social mobility, economic security, and even a good marriage.
South Korea takes extraordinary measures to make sure test-takers do not face any disruptions, including rescheduling flights and slowing traffic to reduce noise -- and asking offices to change working hours.
An education ministry official told AFP we have placed all the measures we can, working with relevant ministries, to assure that the students can do their best and focus only on the test.
To minimise noise around the more than 1,200 test centres nationwide, traffic has been ordered to slow, with bus and taxi driver unions agreeing not to honk during test hours.
Construction work near the schools will also be halted.
During the crucial listening portion of the English test, the land ministry imposed a nationwide ban on all aircraft takeoffs and landings outside of emergency situations.
More than 156 flights were rescheduled because of the exam.
Businesses were asked to adjust opening hours to alleviate traffic congestion and ensure that students arrived on time for the test, which started at 8:40 am.
Even the stock market will also open an hour later at 10:00 am.
Anxious parents wept while wishing their children good luck and police escorted test-takers who were running late into schools early Thursday.
The exam uses a multiple-choice format and will be taken by 522,670 pupils this year.