South Korea plans to file criminal complaints against students caught cheating in national university entrance examinations using smart glasses, while introducing tougher penalties for the use of the devices during exams.
An education ministry official, Lee Joon-hyuk, disclosed this to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Friday, following growing concerns over the use of artificial intelligence-powered eyewear to gain unfair advantages in examinations.
Smart glasses, which allow users to take photographs, record videos and interact with artificial intelligence assistants, are gaining popularity worldwide. However, their increasing use has also sparked concerns over privacy violations, unauthorised recording and examination malpractice.
South Korea’s highly competitive university entrance examination, known as the Suneung, is a crucial test for admission into prestigious universities and is widely regarded as a gateway to economic security and social advancement.
“The ministry will seek criminal charges against students caught cheating with smart glasses,” Lee told AFP.
Under the proposed measures, students caught using smart glasses to cheat will be barred from retaking their examinations for three years, an increase from the current one-year disqualification.
However, the tougher penalties are unlikely to apply to next month’s university entrance examinations, Lee said.
“With only about 20 days left until the exam, it would be realistically difficult to amend the law before then. However, we plan to push for the changes to take effect from next year’s exam,” he added.
The proposed crackdown follows an incident in which three students were caught wearing or possessing smart glasses during university-administered essay examinations in Seoul.
The use of AI-powered eyewear to cheat is also emerging as a concern in other education systems worldwide. Earlier this summer, Taiwan’s prestigious National Taiwan University in Taipei reportedly disqualified an entrance examination candidate for cheating with AI smart glasses.
South Korea’s Education Ministry announced additional measures on Thursday to prevent examination malpractice involving the devices.
The measures include assigning a designated staff member at each examination centre to identify suspicious eyewear and prevent candidates from using smart glasses to access unauthorised assistance.
The Suneung is considered one of South Korea’s most important national examinations, with enormous pressure placed on students to secure admission into top universities.
On examination day, the country imposes a 35-minute nationwide flight restriction during the English listening test, except in emergencies. Banks and public offices also direct employees to resume work an hour later to reduce traffic congestion and ensure candidates arrive at examination centres on time.
The intense pressure associated with South Korea’s highly competitive education system has also been linked to concerns over student mental health, including teenage depression and suicide rates that remain among the highest in the world.
AFP
