This is only the tip of the iceberg. It appears that in order to force everybody on a normal distribution map, they've gone well past the original purpose of the government exams, which was originally a neo-Confucian artifact to promote egalitarianism-the idea that even peasants who pass the government exams are able to improve their social standing after a long period of caste society based on lineage.
This means students aren't tested even on rote memorization or any of the necessary skills in the real world. Instead, they've become victim to the billion dollar industry of extra-cirricular cram schools. Public schools have become completely dependent on a widely unregulated cram schools because it's become impossible to come out on top when everybody is getting specialized help. You can't fault these parents either, these exams are insane and it makes sense that there is demand for extra tutoring.
The biggest tragedy of this is that it's no longer egalitarian like in it's tradition, it's about who has the money and can pay for their child's education. Low middle class Korean families can't support the cost of raising a child in this hyper education focused culture with very little prouductivity other than elevating the truly gifted exam takers running the country with no experience other than from books.
A big reason why in South Korea, you can commit horrible crimes and almost get a slap on the wrist because of incompetent, unexperienced judges and prosecutors who have mastered the art of climbing the Korean ladder, a giant bureaucracy that permeates through every part of Korean culture. Neo-confucianism is facing significant stress and young Koreans are undergoing social change.