University Entrance Exams, Off Landas And Flight Landings Suspended To Reduce Noise

Illustration of Incheon International Airport, Seoul, South Korea. (Wikimedia Commons/Simply Aviation)

JAKARTA - The South Korean government on Tuesday announced all flight take-off and landing activities will be temporarily suspended, in order to reduce noise during the annual Academic Ability Test (CSAT) held this week.

According to the Ministry of Transportation, flight activities and aircraft landings will be limited to 35 minutes between 13.05 to 13.40 local time on Thursday, during the examination session of the ability to listen to English in the national college entrance exam.

Not only taking off and landing, planes that are in the air are also affected by this policy, with all aircraft flying must remain in the air at an altitude of 3 kilometers or more under the direction of the air traffic control authority, except for aircraft that are in an emergency situation.

The Ministry of Transportation stated that this step aims to prevent aircraft noise during the exam, reported The Korea Times November 11.

Regarding this policy, the operational schedule of 140 flights will be adjusted beforehand to avoid this time span. Meanwhile, airlines will provide prior notifications to passengers who have booked tickets regarding the changes, according to the ministry.

It is known, CSAT, which is held on the third Thursday of November every year, is one of the most important academic events in the country, because it is the peak of years of hard work for many students who want to enter well-known universities.