Technology

Top Scorer in South Korea’s Tax Exam Confesses to AI Cheating

By Guardian staff reporter

The top scorer on South Korea’s national exam for aspiring tax accountants admitted to using generative AI to cheat. The candidate, who identified himself only by the surname Han, confessed on the YouTube channel of Attorney Lee Don‑ho that he used electronic devices and AI during the exam. Han, who ranked first in both rounds of the qualification exam held in April and July, revealed that he took photos of the exam questions with a microcamera, sent them to an AI tool, and checked the answers on a smartphone. He scored 397.5 out of 400 points in the first round, with only one wrong answer out of 160 questions. Han said he had submitted a written confession to Seoul police, which the Seoul metropolitan police agency confirmed and said it had assigned the case to investigators. The scandal has raised concerns in a country where standardized tests largely determine social mobility and career paths. It comes just days before Thursday’s annual national college entrance exam, a high‑pressure event for which many South Korean students have spent much of their lives preparing. A senior presidential office official told reporters that the matter is being taken very seriously and that countermeasures are being prepared ahead of the college entrance exam. The official said that reports of potential cheating in the certified public accountant exam were concerning and that the presidential chief of staff for policy would convene an emergency meeting later that afternoon to address the issue. Prime Minister Han Seong‑sook acknowledged public concerns over AI‑assisted cheating and said the government would prepare thoroughly and closely oversee the process to ensure the college entrance exam is conducted fairly and stably. Reuters and Agence France‑Presse contributed to this article.