In an unprecedented server failure just before the application deadline for the 2027 college admissions, the Korean Council for University Education (KCUE) and application processing agency YouWay gathered to issue a joint apology.
With only 10 minutes left before the deadline, the system outage and subsequent one-hour extension raised concerns about the fairness of the admissions process. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, both organizations committed to a public announcement to address the aftermath and promised a complete overhaul of the system. As anxiety peaked among students and parents, a thorough remedy procedure based on objective data is expected to be the first test in restoring trust in the admissions system.
On September 14, KCUE President Lee Gi-jung and YouWay CEO Sung Yoon-seok held a joint press conference to present their statements regarding the application system failure.
Both leaders expressed their sincere apologies for the confusion caused to students and parents due to the server failure that occurred around 5:50 PM on September 11. They outlined plans for remedial measures for affected students and structural improvements to the college application process.
As the organization overseeing admissions for universities nationwide, KCUE took the incident seriously and began addressing the issue. President Lee stated, "I feel a heavy heart and deep regret knowing that students and parents who have prepared for college entrance for a long time experienced significant anxiety and confusion at the last moment of application."
He emphasized, "Above all, ensuring that no student suffers any unfair disadvantage due to this system failure will be our top priority." To this end, KCUE is currently reviewing data related to the system failure submitted by YouWay.
In response to concerns raised in student communities about fairness and potential manipulation following the extension, President Lee clarified the principles of remediation. He stated, "We will establish a reasonable and fair remedy procedure in consultation with the respective universities based on objective facts and verifiable data," and promised to ensure that fairness among students and the integrity of the admissions process are not compromised during the implementation of these procedures.
YouWay, directly involved in the server failure, also reiterated its apologies. CEO Sung, standing alongside President Lee, acknowledged, "An unexpected server error occurred in our application system around 5:50 PM on September 11, causing significant confusion and inconvenience for students who were finalizing their applications just before the deadline."
Sung explained the one-hour extension, stating, "Following the incident, we extended the application deadline from 6 PM to 7 PM in accordance with KCUE's emergency response manual," but acknowledged, "We understand that this measure cannot fully alleviate the mental distress you experienced."
He added, "We take this incident very seriously and will thoroughly investigate the cause, enhancing our emergency response system to prevent recurrence. All employees will humbly accept criticism and strive to become a trusted application service provider."
KCUE indicated that it will not dismiss this incident as a simple, one-time technical failure by a specific agency but will pursue fundamental structural reforms to the college application system. President Lee stated, "We will closely examine the overall operation of the application system and the response mechanisms in case of failures, and we will work closely with the Ministry of Education to improve the entire application process where institutional and structural improvements are needed."
Currently, YouWay is accepting selective remedy applications based on clear logs of application submissions and payment attempts during the server outage period (5:50 PM to 6:00 PM) for 56 universities, including Kyung Hee University and Chung-Ang University, until 6 PM on September 16.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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