[Morning Briefing] CSAT test-takers' 'day of decision'… New York stocks mixed as investor sentiment diverges

◆ Today 550,000 CSAT test-takers' 'day of decision'… policy to exclude 'killer questions'

The 2026 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) begins simultaneously on the 13th at 1,310 test sites across 85 exam districts nationwide. Test-takers must be seated in their designated exam rooms by 8:10 a.m. This year's CSAT, as with last year, will proceed in the order of the 1st period: Korean language, 2nd period: mathematics, 3rd period: English, 4th period: Korean history and elective subjects (social studies·science·vocational), and 5th period: second foreign language/Chinese characters. For general test-takers, it starts at 8:40 a.m. and ends at 5:45 p.m. The policy to exclude so-called 'killer questions' (ultra-difficult items) is being maintained for this CSAT as well. The Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation emphasized that it plans to set questions in line with the content and level of the high school curriculum. A total of 554,174 people applied for this CSAT, an increase of 31,504 (6.0%) from the previous year. The total number of test-takers is the largest in seven years since the 2019 academic year (594,924). The number of current students increased by 31,120 from the previous year to 371,897 (67.1%), and other applicants such as GED holders increased by 2,246 to 22,355 (4.0%). Graduates decreased by 1,862 to 159,922 (28.9%).

◆ New York stocks close mixed as rotation sees selling of tech and buying of blue chips

The three major U.S. stock indexes in New York closed mixed. With the end of the U.S. federal government shutdown (temporary work stoppage) seemingly imminent, investor sentiment toward tech stocks and blue-chip stocks diverged. However, AMD jumped nearly 9% on the strength of a robust earnings outlook. At the close on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on the 12th (U.S. Eastern Time), the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished at 48,254.82, up 326.86 points (0.68%) from the previous session. The S&P 500 rose 4.31 points (0.06%) to 6,850.92, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 61.84 points (0.26%) to 23,406.46. Expectations are growing that, possibly as soon as today, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history (43 days) could end. The budget bill that passed the Senate is scheduled for a House vote at 7 p.m. that day, and it is likely to pass the House as well. However, AI bubble concerns weighed on the market. Although AMD surged after issuing an optimistic earnings outlook, the seven major tech stocks mostly fell due to AI bubble worries.

◆ National Assembly to handle about 50 non-contentious bills in plenary session… report on motion to arrest Choo Kyung-ho

The ruling and opposition parties will hold a plenary session on the 13th to handle about 50 non-contentious bills. A report on the motion to arrest People Power Party lawmaker Choo Kyung-ho, who is accused of obstructing the vote to lift martial law at the National Assembly, will also be submitted that day. Earlier, the Democratic Party and the People Power Party agreed on the 10th to process bills in the plenary session excluding those designated as fast-track (priority bills) that still have room for negotiation, such as the Semiconductor Special Act bill and amendments to the Banking Act and the Franchise Business Act. In addition, personnel appointments to the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission—two recommended by the People Power Party and one by the Speaker of the National Assembly—are also expected to be submitted. The parties agreed to report the arrest motion against Rep. Choo at the plenary session that day and to vote on it on the 27th. The motion to arrest will be adopted if a majority of the total members are present and a majority of those present vote in favor.

◆ White House: 'Hope Trump signs budget to end shutdown tonight'

The White House said on the 12th (local time) that if the temporary budget package to end the 43-day federal government shutdown passes the House, President Donald Trump is expected to sign it that night. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing with the press, "President Trump looks forward to finally ending this destructive Democratic shutdown with his signature," and added, "We hope the signing ceremony will take place late tonight." The package of spending bills, including a temporary federal budget through January 30 of next year, passed the Senate on the 10th and was set for a House vote that afternoon. If the budget passes the House, it will take effect after President Trump's signature. Spokesperson Leavitt criticized the Democrats for blocking the Republican budget by demanding an extension of subsidies for the health insurance 'Obamacare' that ends this year, calling it "an absurd demand to provide taxpayer-funded medical benefits to illegal immigrants who have invaded our country," and saying they had "held the country hostage to negotiate over the health system they created."

◆ One more body recovered from Ulsan thermal plant collapse… death toll rises to six

On the 13th, the eighth day since the Ulsan thermal power plant collapse, rescuers recovered one more buried body. Fire authorities said they recovered the body of a person surnamed Kim (in his 30s) at around 1:18 a.m. from the debris of the collapsed boiler tower No. 5. This brings the number of deaths among the seven buried workers in the accident to six, and search operations for the remaining missing person continue overnight. Mr. Kim was confirmed to have been buried at the time of the accident on the 6th, but rescue efforts had not been possible because he was located 4–5 m inside tightly entangled steel structures. In particular, because the collapsed No. 5 unit had fallen slantwise toward the adjacent No. 4 unit, there was a high risk of additional collapse of the upper structures during the rescue of Mr. Kim who was buried near the edge toward the No. 4 unit. At around 2:02 p.m. on the 6th, boiler tower No. 5, measuring 25 m wide, 15.5 m long and 63 m high, collapsed at the Ulsan thermal power plant, burying seven of the nine workers who were on site at the time.

◆ Former National Education Commission chair Lee Bae-yong to reappear before special prosecutor today over 'gold turtle patronage' allegation

The special prosecution team led by Min Jung-gi will summon former National Education Commission chair Lee Bae-yong again on the 13th over allegations that he gave a gold turtle to Kim Keon-hee and requested public appointments. Lee is scheduled to appear at 10 a.m. at the special prosecutor's office set up in the West wing of the KT Gwanghwamun Building in Jongno-gu for questioning. The special prosecution team previously questioned Lee for about 14 hours on the 6th. At that time, the team is reported to have confirmed circumstances surrounding his two meetings with Kim around April 2022. The special prosecution team believes that on the 12th of that month he handed over personnel-related documents at Jingwansa in Eunpyeong-gu, and on the 26th he gifted a gold turtle at the office of the exhibition planning company Kobana Contents run by Ms. Kim. The team also believes that in June of that year he handed over a document describing his work performance. He was then appointed the first chair of the National Education Commission under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration in September, three months later. Lee's side has argued that he gave the gold turtle at the end of March 2022 simply as a congratulatory gift for the presidential election victory and that there was no quid pro quo.

◆ No 'CSAT cold wave' and clear skies… large temperature difference, chilly in the morning

On Thursday the 13th, the CSAT day, the country will be mostly clear and there will be no 'CSAT cold wave.' However, it will be chilly in the morning, so test-takers are advised to prepare warm outerwear. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the Seoul metropolitan area and inland/mountainous areas of Gangwon will have many clouds in the morning, and Jeju will have occasional clouds. Daytime highs will be 14–20°C, higher than the seasonal average (highs 11–17°C). The temperature difference between day and night will be large, so care for one's health is advised. In central and northern Gangwon provinces, there may be places where raindrops of less than 0.1㎜ fall. There will be dense fog in parts of southern Gyeonggi inland, the Chungcheong region, and Jeolla provinces, so traffic safety should be observed. Fine dust levels nationwide will be 'moderate.' However, the Seoul metropolitan area, western Gangwon, and South Chungcheong are expected to be 'bad' from morning through daytime; Daejeon, Sejong, North Chungcheong, Gwangju and North Jeolla in the afternoon; and the Yeongnam region at night.

Cha Eun-ji, Hankyung.com reporter chachacha@hankyung.com