This paper raises issues in testing the absorption coefficients of sound-absorptive samples using the standing wave apparatus according to the Korean standard of KS F 2814. The standard code does not consider any effect of air-damping which is significant in testing relatively low sound-absorptive samples. This limitation has been shown to yield much variation of sound absorption coefficients for recent samples tests whose coefficients are less than 10%. An improved method of calculating the sound absorption coefficients is proposed in this work and its effectiveness in real test is also illustrated. Finally, the guideline for the modification of our national standard code KS F 2814 is proposed.