Seoul: The annual college entrance exam was held nationwide Thursday, witnessing a record number of retakers largely due to an increase in medical school admissions. According to Yonhap News Agency, a total of 522,670 students, including high school seniors and graduates, registered for the state-administered College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), marking an increase of 18,082 from the previous year. Of these, high school seniors constituted 340,777, accounting for 65.2 percent of the total, while the number of graduates stood at 161,784, the highest since 2003. Approximately 93,195 graduates, believed to be first-year university students, retook the exam aiming for better university placements next year, as indicated by Jongro Academy. The surge in graduates retaking the exam is attributed to the planned increase in medical school quotas, with 39 medical schools nationwide set to accept 4,610 students, an increase of 1,497 from this year. This expansion follows the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's decision to add around 2,000 slots annually over the next five years to tackle a shortage of doctors. Students were required to be present at their designated testing sites by 8:10 a.m. to prepare for the Korean language section of the five-part exam, which commenced at 8:40 a.m. The CSAT is a crucial academic event in the nation, as admission to a prestigious university is often seen as essential for future career success. In line with government policy, this year's exam excluded extremely difficult "killer" questions. Choe Joung-chul, a Dongguk University professor and head of the CSAT question-setting committee, stated during a press conference that the exam was designed to differentiate student levels using material covered by public education. Teachers and cram schools assessed the Korean and math sections as straightforward overall, with a few challenging questions to identify top-ranking students. Throughout the exam, which lasted until 5:45 p.m., authorities managed noise levels at 1,282 examination sites n ationwide. During the English listening test from 1:05 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., all aircraft takeoffs and landings were halted, with the flight schedules of 156 airplanes adjusted accordingly. Aircraft in flight, except those in emergencies, were required to maintain an altitude of 3 kilometers or higher, and military exercises generating excessive noise were temporarily suspended. To accommodate test-takers, the Seoul metropolitan government extended morning rush hour subway operations from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., compared to the usual 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Additionally, over 10,000 police personnel were deployed to escort exam papers to and from testing sites and to ensure order and stability around schools. The absentee rate for this year's exam was reported at 10.07 percent during the first session. In Incheon, two students experienced symptoms of hyperpnea during the exam. One student was taken to a hospital to complete the exam, while the other received treatment on-site, officials noted.