Top South Korean exam scorer admits using AI to cheat

South Korean police have launched an investigation after the top scorer in a national tax accountant exam confessed to using artificial intelligence to cheat. According to the Japan Times and New Straits Times, the individual ranked first in both rounds of the qualification exam held in April and July. The candidate admitted via a video on his lawyer's YouTube channel that he used a miniature camera to photograph exam questions, sent them to AI, and checked the answers on a smartphone.

The admission followed suspicions raised in online communities after the candidate revealed a score of 397.5 out of 400 points in the first round, having missed only one of 160 questions. While the candidate initially denied using smart glasses, Yonhap News reports he admitted to using a miniature camera, a smartphone, and generative AI to cheat in both rounds of the test. He also stated he used the same method to cheat on a certified public accountant exam.

The presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, said it is following the developments seriously and announced it will conduct a full investigation into all suspected AI cheating cases in every national certification test. Yonhap News reports that Ha Joon-kyung, the presidential chief of staff for policy, stated that cheating must not be tolerated as test fairness is directly related to public trust.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch, Yonhap News, Punch Nigeria, Japan Times, New Straits Times — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.