A top South Korean tax exam candidate admits cheating with AI

The candidate, who placed first in South Korea’s exam for aspiring tax accountants, admitted using generative AI to get the answers. He said he photographed the questions with a micro-camera, sent the images to AI, and checked the answers on his smartphone. He scored 397.5 out of 400 in the first round, getting just one of 160 questions wrong. The admission came days before the national college entrance exam, which will take place on Thursday.

South Korean candidate admits using AI to cheat on tax accountant exam

How the candidate got the answers

Han, who gave only his surname, placed first in both rounds of the qualification exam, held in April and July. His near-perfect scores across hundreds of questions raised suspicions of cheating. He was initially accused of using smart glasses, but denied it.

On Sunday, Han admitted what he had done in an interview on lawyer Lee Dong-ho’s YouTube channel. He said he took photos of exam questions with a micro-camera, sent them to an AI tool, and then viewed the answers on his smartphone. Han said he submitted a written confession to Seoul police. In the video, the candidate wore a mask.

Police in the capital region said they had received Han’s confession through his lawyer and referred the case to investigators.

Authorities prepare for the college entrance exam

The scandal has drawn particular attention because the national college entrance exam is approaching. In South Korea, standardized test results have a major influence on social mobility and career prospects, and many students devote a significant part of their lives to preparing for the exam.

On Sunday, a representative of the presidential administration told reporters that officials were taking the incident seriously. With the exam scheduled for Thursday, the authorities are preparing measures to prevent possible cheating, he said. He also referred to reports of possible irregularities in the certified accountant exam. The presidential chief of staff for policy was due to hold an emergency meeting that day.

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook acknowledged on Friday that the public was concerned about using AI to cheat. Her office said in a statement that the government would prepare in advance and closely monitor the entrance exam to ensure it was fair and ran smoothly.

Dataist's take: Han’s admission shows how cameras and smartphones could provide a channel for sending exam questions to AI. South Korean authorities are preparing measures ahead of the entrance exam, but the source does not say what restrictions they plan to introduce.