The Essence of Language: A Tool for Understanding
The world is home to more than 7,000 languages. According to the 2024 statistics from Ethnologue, exactly 7,164 living languages are currently recorded. On the African continent alone, between 1,250 and 2,100 languages are spoken, with some estimates suggesting over 2,000 languages coexist in that single space. Despite this staggering linguistic diversity, people often seek a common language to connect. Language exists fundamentally for understanding.
However, the English section of South Korea’s college entrance exam, the Suneung, recently made international headlines for a very different reason. In December 2025, the BBC described the exam as “gruelling,” reporting that students likened the test to “deciphering an ancient script“.
“The English section of South Korea’s gruelling college entrance exam, or Suneung, is notoriously difficult, with some students comparing it to deciphering an ancient script, and others calling it “insane.” — BBC News, Dec 2025
The Weight of Eight Hours: What the Suneung Truly Means
A visual metaphor for the Korean students who must ‘decode’ language instead of speaking it.
In South Korea, the Suneung is far more than a simple university entrance exam. It is a “high-stakes exam” directly linked to career prospects, social mobility, and long-term economic opportunities. The significance is so profound that on exam day, some international media have described the day as a kind of “National Pause”—flight takeoffs and landings are adjusted for 35 minutes during the listening section, construction is halted, and even military drills are suspended to ensure an optimal environment for students.
A Puzzle, Not a Language
Within this high-pressure context, the English exam takes on a symbolic weight. Some of the most controversial questions this year featured high-level abstract concepts, such as Immanuel Kant’s philosophy of law and specialized gaming jargon. Reviewing these questions myself, I had to ask: “Is this truly a test of communicative competence?” The material felt maddeningly confusing and disconnected from reality. When a sentence is difficult to solve even in one’s mother tongue, translating it into English turns the language into an object of deciphering rather than use.
Redefining Communicative Competence
Linguists argue that language proficiency cannot be measured by grammatical accuracy alone. Dell Hymes’ concept of “communicative competence” encompasses not just grammatical knowledge, but also contextual understanding, cultural background, and the ability to interact.
I studied English in Korea for over 12 years. I became well-versed in solving grammar puzzles and analyzing reading passages. However, starting a real conversation with native speakers was an entirely different challenge. There was a clear gap between “English for the test” and “English for life.”
The Questions We Must Ask
We must change the question. The problem is not that English is a subject on a test, but rather what that test has come to represent within our society. In Korea, English has long been a symbol of opportunity, linked to employment and global career possibilities.
But what does it mean to learn a language? Is it not the courage to attempt a conversation and the attitude of trying to understand the speaker’s intent, even if the word order is slightly off? Even in Africa, where over 2,000 languages coexist, people build relationships through common languages. The core of that relationship is not perfection, but the will to understand. In fact, UNESCO reports that children in Africa who received education in their mother tongue were 30% more likely to read with comprehension by the end of primary school than those taught in an unfamiliar language.
From Deciphering to Communicating
How are we teaching English? As an object to be deciphered, or as a tool to communicate? This is a fundamental question about how Korean society perceives language. The BBC report serves as a mirror reflecting our own linguistic values. Are we teaching students to memorize rules, or how to connect with the world?
Language should be a bridge, not a symbol of rank. How we build that bridge is a choice we must ultimately make.
Editor’s Comment
Welcome to The Korea Review. I created this blog to share Korea more deeply—not just what happens, but why it matters and what it means. English isn’t my first language, but I’m trying. If you approach with curiosity, I’ll share with honesty. Questions are always welcome. Let’s understand Korea together.