On the final day of the 2027 college admission early application period, a server crash at the application platform, Younet Apply, led to a one-hour extension of the deadline, during which a total of 3,184 additional applications were submitted.
The Ministry of Education acknowledged the serious concerns regarding fairness and equity in the admissions process and announced plans to extend the special investigation into the private agency responsible for the application system, as well as to activate a joint task force to prevent similar disruptions during the upcoming regular admissions.
On September 30, the Ministry released an analysis of the additional applications received due to the system failure, detailing the response measures taken.
According to data submitted by the application agency, 100 out of 116 universities that were set to close applications by 6 p.m. on September 11 extended their deadlines due to system errors. Of these, 80 universities actually received additional applications.
As a result of the extended deadline, 3,184 additional applications were submitted across 1,781 programs at these 80 universities, averaging about 1.79 additional applications per program.
Of the 3,184 additional applications, 73.1%, or 2,329, were from students who attempted to apply during the system failure and left a record of their attempts. The remaining 855 applications were from students who were completely unable to log in, leaving no electronic record.
The average competition ratio for the 80 universities that extended their deadlines rose slightly from 10.25 to 10.27 to 1 by the 6 p.m. deadline. Similarly, the average competition ratio for the 1,781 programs that received additional applications increased from 13.66 to 13.76 to 1.
A Ministry official stated, "While most programs (69.8%) received only one additional application, some programs, particularly those focused on essays and practical tests, saw a significant number of additional applications due to their initially high competition ratios."
Previously, students and parents criticized the extension, claiming it compromised the fairness and equity of the admissions process as competition intensified during the extended period.
The National Assembly's Education Committee had also selected Seong Yoon-seok, the representative of Younet Apply, as a witness for the 2026 National Audit, indicating a strong push for accountability.
In response, the Ministry of Education stated, "The extension was an unavoidable measure to minimize student harm according to the system failure response manual, but we are acutely aware of the concerns raised regarding fairness and equity."
To clarify the facts, the Ministry decided to extend the special investigation period for Younet Apply.
The additional investigation will not only focus on identifying the causes of the system failure but will also closely examine the overall operation of the application system, stability measures, and management processes, holding the agency strictly accountable.
Furthermore, to prevent similar confusion during the regular admissions period starting January 4, 2027, the Ministry has formed a joint task force with the Korean Council for University Education and private agencies, which began operations immediately.
This task force will thoroughly review the service operation system of the private agency, conduct rigorous simulations and refine manuals to prepare for potential system failures. It also aims to improve the disclosure of final competition ratios to minimize confusion during the last moments of the application process.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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