Student jumps off building on college entrance exam day

A student who was supposed to take the college entrance exam on Thursday was taken to hospital after jumping off from the fourth floor of an apartment building in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, at 1:50 a.m., the police said.

A student waits at a class room in Sejong to take the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) on Thursday. [YONHAP]

A student who was supposed to take the college entrance exam on Thursday was taken to hospital after jumping off from the fourth floor of an apartment building in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, at 1:50 a.m., the police said.

The student, who finished high school last year, was going to take the exam for the second time this year. The student reportedly felt burdened by the pressure of retaking the test.

Meanwhile, a student who was preparing to take the exam at a high school in Hwaseong was sent home after she suffered a convulsion at 7:37 a.m.

This year, 504,888 people have registered for the College Scholastic Ability Test, down around 3,000 from last year.

It is also the first time juvenile inmates at the Seoul Nambu Detention Center are sitting the exam.

A total of 10 juvenile inmates are taking the exam in a classroom set up within the detention center.

The Justice Ministry in March opened an education program for inmates aged 17 or younger that is named after the anti-apartheid activist and South African President Nelson Mandela.

This year, 37 had enrolled in the program, in which some had prepared for the high school equivalency test.

If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191. The Seoul Foreign Resident Center offers English-language counseling. Contact 02-2229-4900 to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]