Top scorer in South Korean tax exam confesses to cheating with AI

The top scorer in South Korea’s national qualifying exam for tax accountants admitted on Sunday, November 15, that he used a miniature camera, a smartphone and generative artificial intelligence to cheat. The admission came four days before the country’s annual university entrance exam.

The candidate, who identified himself only by his surname, Han, had scored near-perfect marks on hundreds of questions across two exams held in April and July. His results had prompted months of speculation.

“I cheated using electronic devices and generative AI. My passing the exam with the top score was not the result of fair effort,” Han said in an apology posted on lawyer Lee Don-ho’s YouTube channel.

Han, who wore a face mask in the video, said he photographed the exam questions with a miniature camera, sent the images to an AI tool and checked the answers on a smartphone. He said he had submitted a written confession to Seoul police. Reuters reported that its call to Seoul’s Jungbu police station went unanswered on Sunday.

The case has heightened concerns about exam security in South Korea, where standardised tests play a major role in determining access to university and shaping career prospects. Many students spend years preparing for the national university entrance exam, which is scheduled for Thursday.

“The presidential office views the matter very seriously, and because the college entrance exam is next week, we have been working hard to prepare countermeasures,” a senior presidential office official told reporters on Sunday.

The official also expressed concern about reports of possible cheating in the certified public accountant exam and said the presidential chief of staff for policy would convene an emergency meeting later on Sunday.

Prime Minister Han Seok-sook acknowledged public concern about AI-assisted cheating on Friday. Her office said the government “will prepare thoroughly in advance and closely oversee the process until the very end to ensure the college entrance exam is conducted fairly and stably”.