From hidden notes to AI glasses, cheating takes new forms

The Korea Times - Nov 11, 2026

Cheating on exams is hardly new in Korea. What has changed is the technology used to get away with it, from altered answer sheets and text messages to artificial intelligence (AI)-powered glasses. As the methods grow more sophisticated, detecting them has become increasingly difficult. Even the civil service examinations of the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty were vulnerable to cheaters. In a 1699 scandal, 15 of 33 successful candidates were found to have passed through irregular means, including the swapping of names attached to exam papers. Centuries later, mobile phones made cheating a coordinated operation. During the 2004 college entrance exam, students in Gwangju divided up roles among high-scoring test takers, intermediaries and recipients, passing answers through text messages. According to Ministry of Education figures released in 2005, the scores of 472 students were invalidated for cheating on college entrance exams from the 2002 through 2005 academic years. Of those, 412 had used text messages. The scandal prompted tighter restrictions on electronic devices and tougher penalties. Mor

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