구술 시험: Oral Examination (Discussion and Conversation)
What this section tests
The oral examination has two parts: a discussion based on an in-depth study you have prepared, and a general conversation on topics drawn from the syllabus - personal life, school, society, culture, and issues affecting young people. You are assessed on communication, content and ideas, range and accuracy of language, and your ability to sustain and develop interaction.
Concepts you must control
Prepare your in-depth study thoroughly: know your topic's background, your main argument, evidence, and counterarguments. Be ready for follow-up questions that probe why and how, not just what. In conversation, use strategies that keep talk flowing: 요청하기 (다시 말씀해 주시겠어요?), 시간 벌기 (글쎄요, 제 생각에는…), 자기 의견 세우기 (저는 …라고 생각합니다. 왜냐하면 …). Show range with comparatives, hypotheticals (-다면, -을 텐데), and concessive structures (물론 …지만).
Traps to expect
Reciting a memorised monologue and freezing when interrupted. One-word answers. Drifting into English when a word is missing - paraphrase in Korean instead. Using 반말 to the examiner. Ignoring the question's frame: if asked to compare, do not merely describe. Overclaiming on a topic you cannot support.
Rule of thumb
Answer in three moves: direct response, one reason or example, then a link back or a question to the examiner. This structure - answer, support, extend - reliably demonstrates both accuracy and interaction, and it buys thinking time naturally.
Worked example
Examiner: "한국 청소년들의 스트레스에 대해 어떻게 생각하십니까?" Weak answer: "스트레스가 많다고 생각합니다." Strong answer: "저는 학업 부담이 큰 영향을 준다고 생각합니다. 예를 들어 한국 학생들은 시험 결과로 진로가 정해지는 경우가 많아서 압박을 느낍니다. 물론 경쟁이 동기를 주기도 하지만, 휴식 시간이 보장되어야 한다고 봅니다." Note the opinion, the example, the concession, and the developed conclusion.