The Education Ministry has announced stringent measures to prevent cheating using advanced electronic devices known as 'smart glasses' in the upcoming 2027 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). These measures include criminal penalties and an extended disqualification period for test-takers.
To alleviate the psychological and legal burdens faced by teachers in identifying smart glasses, the ministry will assign dedicated personnel at each exam center.
On October 29, the Education Ministry released a response plan addressing concerns over cheating with smart glasses during the CSAT and university entrance exams. The plan aims to ensure fairness in testing and reduce the burden on supervisors.
First, penalties for cheating involving smart glasses will be significantly increased. In July, the ministry included smart glasses in the list of prohibited items for the 2027 CSAT and provided detailed guidelines for handling violations.
According to these guidelines, using smart glasses or other smart devices during the exam, including simply wearing them, will result in the invalidation of that exam and a ban on taking the CSAT the following year. Bringing such devices into the exam room or merely possessing them will also lead to invalidation. Additionally, failure to comply with a supervisor's request to check for smart glasses may result in similar penalties after review.
The ministry plans to treat cheating with smart glasses as a deliberate act of obstructing the normal operation of a national exam, leading to criminal charges and investigations. They intend to apply charges of obstruction of public duty or work to ensure criminal penalties are enforced.
In the past, during the 2005 CSAT, a participant who organized the transmission of answers via mobile phone received an eight-month prison sentence with a two-year probation.
To enhance the effectiveness of cheating penalties, the ministry will pursue amendments to existing laws. Currently, Article 34, Section 5 of the Higher Education Act states that individuals caught cheating on the CSAT will have their exam invalidated and be banned from taking the exam for one year. The ministry aims to extend this disqualification period to a maximum of three years.
Moreover, the ministry will actively recommend that these criminal penalties and extended disqualification periods apply not only to the CSAT but also to university-specific exams, including essays and interviews, starting this year.
To support teachers in identifying advanced devices, the ministry will implement protective measures and an enhanced detection system. They plan to ensure that teachers who diligently perform their supervisory duties are not held accountable for any unfair consequences.
Starting with the 2027 CSAT, each exam center will have one designated personnel responsible for determining the presence of smart glasses. Depending on local conditions, supervisors from education offices may be assigned or additional personnel may be deployed. These individuals will monitor exam rooms and initially assess whether suspicious glasses are smart devices.
If immediate judgment is difficult, a three-tier emergency communication system will connect the exam center, local education office, and the Ministry of Education (Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation) in real-time to minimize the burden on individual supervisors.
Legal protections and improved treatment for supervisors will also be implemented. Starting this year, all supervisors for the 2027 CSAT will have their liability insurance coverage and claim periods expanded. This will cover legal damages, attorney fees, litigation costs, and mediation expenses in cases where claims arise from incidents occurring during the exam.
Additionally, plans for improving supervisor compensation will be pursued in the 2028 academic year.
In response to the evolving technology of electronic devices, the ministry will expedite the introduction of scientific detection equipment. They will closely examine the feasibility of deploying 'radio wave detectors for exam rooms,' currently being developed by relevant specialized institutions, for use in next year's CSAT exam centers.
An Education Ministry official stated, "We will firmly address cheating to ensure that test-takers can take the exam in a fair and stable environment while continuously implementing support measures to alleviate the burden on exam supervisors and improve their treatment."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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