Electronic Supplement to
Development and Application of a Real-Time Warning System Based on a MEMS Seismic Network and Response Procedure for the Day of the National College Entrance Examination in South Korea

by YoungHee Kim, Tae-Seob Kang, and Junkee Rhie

This electronic supplement contains the response guidelines in the event of an earthquake prepared by the Earthquake Preparedness Advisory Committee of the Korean Ministry of Education (KME). It is a response plan for possible earthquakes on the day of the national college entrance examination in South Korea.

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Response Guidelines in the Event of an Earthquake

• On the day of the exam, officials from the KME will be placed at the National Earthquake and Volcano Center at the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) to provide updated information on any earthquakes.
  1. Provided information: earthquake magnitude, origin time, epicenter, and levels of response (levels I, II, and III).
• Follow the response guidelines and suggested actions (refer to the Checklist for Responses and Actions in the Event of an Earthquake section) in the event of an earthquake, and apply the “act first, report later” policy for timely responses.
• Earthquake response guidelines
  1. Level I: In the event of a minor tremor, invigilators do not stop the exam and continue with normal procedures.
     1. In certain cases, invigilators can stop the exam temporarily and guide the exam candidates to take cover under their desks.
  2. Level II: In cases where the tremor is felt but the exam candidates’ safety is not compromised, the exam candidates may temporarily take shelter under their desks then restart the exam once the tremor has stopped.
     1. In cases where broken glass, fallen materials from the ceiling, damaged lights, cracks on walls, and microcracks on columns are witnessed, the room may be evacuated depending on the circumstances of the exam candidates and/or facility.
     2. Level III: In cases where tremors are strong and the exam candidates’ safety may be compromised due to structural damage, exam candidates are directed to evacuate the building once the tremors have ended.
        1. If damage to exam site facilities are minor and exam candidates are unaffected, the exam can be resumed.
• Detailed response guidelines in the event of an earthquake
  1. In the event of severe ground shaking, the exam invigilators or exam venue manager (e.g., school principal) should instruct exam candidates to temporarily stop the exam, flip the answer sheet backside up, and take cover under the desk.
     1. Invigilators should record the time at which the exam was suspended. The sheet-flipping step can be omitted if ground shaking is too severe.
     2. In cases in which the shaking lasts for only a short time and there is no time to instruct exam candidates to take shelter under their desks, the manager of the exam venue may temporarily suspend the exam in all classrooms via broadcast and can subsequently announce the resumption and end times of the exam.
        1. Exam invigilators can advise the exam candidates to suspend the exam based on the exam venue manager’s broadcast, and write the exam suspension, resumption, and finish times on the board.
        2. In cases where invigilators have already advised students to suspend the exam before the exam venue manager’s broadcast, the invigilators should take note of this time difference and write the modified exam finish time on the board as advised by the venue manager, then notify the hallway invigilator of the change.
  2. Once shaking stops, invigilators should open the entrance door, and:
     1. The first invigilator should write the exam suspension time on the board, make sure that the exam candidates are not able to look at the answer sheets of other candidates, then collect their answer sheets and instruct the candidates to sit down.
     2. The second invigilator should record information such as the exam suspension time, damage to the building infrastructure,¹ and (physical and emotional) condition of the exam candidates and deliver this record to the hallway invigilator.
        ¹Column/beam/floor cracks, cracks on walls, fallen roof structure/frame, and so forth.
     3. Emergency invigilators to be on standby at the local exam operations center at the venue should be assigned to each floor prior to the exam, and they should move in a timely manner to their assigned floors and take instructions from hallway invigilators regarding exam room circumstances and deliver this information to the exam venue manager.
  3. If the exam venue manager has been advised by the KMA that the magnitude of the earthquake is small (safe to resume the exam), then the exam may be resumed accordingly. However, depending on the situation (i.e., condition of the facility and the exam candidates), alternative decisions may be made.
  4. The exam venue manager may decide on the exam resumption time, allowing time² for exam candidates to compose themselves, and then broadcast the resumption of the exam and announce the time (however, in the event that the exam is suspended in only some of the rooms, the resumption of the exam and the relevant information are delivered by the emergency invigilators without broadcasting).
     ²Approximately 10 min can be allowed (but the time can be adjusted depending on the circumstances).
  5. The first invigilator should consult with the second invigilator to calculate the postponement time based on the suspension time of the exam, and write on the board: “exam suspension time—exam resumption time—exam end time” to clearly instruct the exam candidates and deliver this schedule to the hallway invigilator.
  6. Emergency invigilator should collect each exam room’s schedule and notify the venue manager.
  7. Even if the exam has been completed, until the notification of a valid end time has been broadcasted, all exam candidates must remain quiet and remain in their seats.^{3
     3}Although each exam room may have a different exam suspension time, the valid end time should be the same for all rooms.
  8. Once the suspended exam has been completed in the room with the last end time, the venue manager may broadcast the valid end time of the class exam and then announce the start and end times for the next class exam.
     1. For anyone who is unable to remain emotionally calm and wishes to exit the exam room, the hallway invigilator should assist the candidate to continue the exam in the nurse’s office; however, candidates who do not follow the invigilators’ directions and exit the venue should be disqualified from the exam.
     2. The venue manager should promptly report the suspension and resumption of the exam, the valid end time, and the start and end times for the next class exam to the regional examination operations center of the city or province.
     3. If informed that the earthquake is of significant magnitude, or if the venue manager has decided that evacuation is necessary, then everyone should evacuate in an orderly manner to the school yard (as in cases of civil defense training) and await further instructions. The venue manager should report the evacuation to the regional examination operations center following the existing reporting procedures, and then follow the instructions of the regional examination operations center.

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Checklist for Responses and Actions in the Event of an Earthquake

1. Checklist for exam invigilators (situation I: instructing exam candidates to take shelter under their desks due to ground shaking)

   Steps	Checklist Items	Checked
   Time I: When shaking takes place	• In the event of an earthquake that results in significant vibration at the exam venues, did the first invigilator, with or without instruction from the broadcasting system, direct the exam candidates to temporarily suspend taking the exam, flip their answer sheets over, and hide under their desks (in emergency situations, sheet-flipping can be omitted)?4   – Exam suspension, sheet flipping, and instructing candidates to take shelter under their desks can be performed either by invigilators or the exam venue manager.4   4(Announcement to exam candidates) “The exam is temporarily suspended due to the earthquake. Please flip your answer sheet backside up and take cover under your desks.”	◻
   	• Has the exam suspension time been recorded (must be recorded)?	◻
   Time II: Sheltering under desks, postearthquake	• After the earthquake, did the invigilator immediately open the classroom door?	◻
   	• Did the first invigilator record the exam suspension time on the board?	◻
   	• Did the first invigilator make sure to collect the answer sheets, taking precaution to prevent cheating, and then ask the exam candidates to remain in their seats?	◻
   	• Did the second invigilator record information such as exam suspension time, damage to building infrastructure,5 and the physical and emotional condition of exam candidates, and then report this information to the hallway invigilator?   5Column/beam/floor cracks, cracks on walls, fallen roof structure/frame, and so forth	◻
   Time III: If resumption of the exam is announced	• Did invigilators instruct the restarting of the exam to the exam candidates following the announcement of the exam venue manager?	◻
   	• Did the first invigilator consult with the second invigilator to calculate the postponement time based on the suspension time of the exam, and write on the board: “exam suspension time—exam resumption time—exam finish time” to clearly instruct the exam candidates, and notify the hallway invigilator of these times?	◻
   	• Before restarting the exam, did the invigilator instruct the exam candidates to be calm and quiet, and apply the rules of the exam period to those wishing to use the restroom (i.e., accompanied by a hallway invigilator)?	◻
   	• Even if the exam had been completed, did the invigilator instruct the exam candidates to remain seated and be quiet until the candidates in every room were given permission6 to depart?   6Although each exam room may have a different exam suspension time, the departure time should be the same for all rooms.	◻
   	• Following the instructions given in the broadcast announcement, did the invigilator record and advise the start and finish times of the next exam?	◻
   Unusual situations: In cases when students leave the classroom	• If exam candidates had departed from the classroom, did the first invigilator record the time of their departure?	◻
   	• Did the hallway invigilator help exam candidates regain their composure and help them continue the exam in a different room such as the nurse’s office?	◻
   	• If any exam candidate who wished to depart agreed to take the exam in a different room, did the second invigilator deliver the student’s answer sheet to the hallway invigilator, and did the hallway invigilator hand over the student to the emergency invigilator?	◻

2. Checklist for exam invigilators (situation II: cases where minor shaking is felt [with no time to instruct the exam candidates to take cover under their desks], and when the manager of the exam venue has temporarily suspended the exam, whereas the exam candidates remain seated)

   Checklist	Checked
   • If the broadcast announcement instructed temporary suspension of the exam and for the exam candidates to flip their answer sheets backside-up and remain seated and calm, did the invigilator direct the candidates to follow these instructions?	◻
   • Did the first invigilator write on the board: “exam suspension time—exam restart time—exam completion time” and advise the exam candidates accordingly?	◻
   • In cases where invigilators had already advised exam candidates to suspend the exam before the broadcast announcement, did the invigilators take note of this time difference and modify the exam finish time on the board as advised by the announcement, then notify the hallway invigilator of this difference?	◻
   • Did the second invigilator record any damage to the facility or commotion7 and deliver this information to the hallway invigilator?   7Damage to the classroom, injured exam candidates, departed candidates, and so forth	◻
   • During the period of suspension, did the invigilator apply the exam rules for those who wished to use the restroom (i.e., accompanied by a hallway invigilator)?	◻

3. Checklist for exam venue manager (situation I: instructing exam candidates to take shelter under their desks when there is shaking)

   Steps	Checklist Items	Checked
   Time I: When shaking takes place	• In the event of an earthquake with significant shaking, did the exam venue manager direct the exam candidates to temporarily suspend the exam, to flip their answer sheets backside-up, and to take shelter under their desks?8 8(Announcement to exam candidates) “The exam is temporarily suspended due to the earthquake. Please flip your answer sheet backside-up and take shelter under your desks.” (Must record suspension time)	◻
   Time II: Sheltering under desks, postearthquake	• In deciding to resume the exam, was the exam venue manager advised by the KMA with relevant information on the earthquake and appropriate response guidelines, and did he/she also check the situation in each exam room? – Although the exam venue manager may act according to the response guidelines, alternative decisions can also be made according to damage to the facility and/or the condition of the exam candidates.	◻
   Time III: If resumption of the exam is announced	• In deciding to resume the exam, was the resumption time announced along with the restart of the exam? – If all exams in the entire venue have been suspended, a broadcast announcement is necessary.   – If the exams have been suspended in only some of the rooms, individual guidance is necessary via the emergency invigilators assigned to each floor.	◻
   	• If each room had a different end time for the class exam, did the venue manager instruct the exam candidates to be allowed to leave the room to finish the exam after the room with the last end time had finished, and announce the start and end times for the next class exam?	◻

4. Checklist for exam venue manager (situation II: in cases when minor shaking is felt [with no time to instruct the exam candidates to take shelter under their desks], and if the manager of the exam venue has temporarily suspended the exam, whereas the exam candidates remain seated)

   Checklist	Checked
   • In cases when minor shaking was felt (with no time to instruct the exam candidates to take shelter under their desks), and commotion was expected from the candidates, did the exam venue manager use the broadcast system to temporarily suspend the exam and to instruct the students to flip the answer sheets backside-up and remain seated and calm?	◻
   • During the announcement, were the start and finish times advised?9 9Allow ~5 min for suspension (this time can be flexible)	◻
   • Did the exam venue manager receive information about the earthquake and appropriate response guidelines from the KMA?	◻
   • Did the exam venue manager check the reports on suspension times and damage from all classrooms?	◻
   • If each room had a different end time for the class exam, did the venue manager instruct the exam candidates to be allowed to leave the room to finish the exam after the room with the last end time had finished, and announce the start and end times for the next class exam?	◻

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