{
  "id": 20154498,
  "title": "160 questions, only one wrong: top scorer in South Korea tax exam admits AI cheating",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/160-questions-only-one-wrong-top-scorer-in-south-korea-tax-exam-20154498",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-11-15T08:56:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Technology",
    "slug": "guardian-technology",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/nov/15/ai-cheating-south-korea-college-entrance-exam"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "South Korea's national exam for tax accountants saw its top scorer, Han, confess to cheating using artificial intelligence. The scandal emerged after he achieved a perfect score of 397.5 out of 400 points, with only one incorrect answer, in both April and July exams. Han admitted to using a microcamera to take photos of the questions and sending them to an AI tool, from which he checked the answers on a smartphone. This revelation has raised concerns as the country's college entrance exam, scheduled for the following week, looms. The presidential office, prime minister Han Seong-sook, and key officials have vowed to ensure a fair and stable examination process, given the significance of these tests on individuals' social mobility and career prospects.",
  "summary": "Fears for national college entrance exam next week as test taker admits sending photos of questions to AI tool The marks attained by the top scorer on South Korea’s national exam for aspiring tax accountants this year seemed too good to be true. On Sunday, sceptics were proven right when he confessed to using generative AI to cheat. The scandal follows months of speculation after he scored…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 10,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BusinessKorea",
        "title": "South Korea to Develop 8 AI Chips and 2 Semiconductor IPs by 2030",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/south-korea-to-develop-8-ai-chips-and-2-semiconductor-ips-by-2030",
        "published": "2026-11-12T06:20:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "e27",
        "title": "Why South Korea and Southeast Asia could be the next cross-border AI and blockchain corridor",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/why-south-korea-and-southeast-asia-could-be-the-next-cross-border-ai",
        "published": "2026-11-13T03:00:20.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Tech in Asia",
        "title": "South Korea’s Hyundai Card launches AI tools for partners",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/south-koreas-hyundai-card-launches-ai-tools-for-partners",
        "published": "2026-11-13T09:21:42.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Top tax accountant exam scorer in South Korea admits to using AI to cheat",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/top-tax-accountant-exam-scorer-in-south-korea-admits-to-using-ai-to",
        "published": "2026-11-15T03:05:05.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Near-perfect South Korea exam score unravels as candidate admits AI cheating",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/near-perfect-south-korea-exam-score-unravels-as-candidate-admits-ai",
        "published": "2026-11-15T04:54:56.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "South Korea probes top tax exam scorer who used AI to cheat",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/south-korea-probes-top-tax-exam-scorer-who-used-ai-to-cheat",
        "published": "2026-11-15T05:42:46.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Japan Times",
        "title": "South Korea probes top exam scorer after AI cheating confession",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/south-korea-probes-top-exam-scorer-after-ai-cheating-confession",
        "published": "2026-11-15T06:55:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "South Korea probes top exam scorer after AI cheating confession",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/south-korea-probes-top-exam-scorer-after-ai-cheating-confession-20148123",
        "published": "2026-11-15T09:01:41.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn",
        "title": "South Korea probes top exam scorer after AI cheating confession",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/south-korea-probes-top-exam-scorer-after-ai-cheating-confession-20154578",
        "published": "2026-11-15T09:06:17.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}