Under the ministry's new enforcement policy, using smart glasses to obtain unauthorized help during the CSAT will be treated as an intentional attempt to interfere with the administration of a national examination. Authorities may pursue charges including obstruction of official duties through fraudulent means.
The proposed three-year disqualification period would require changes to South Korea's Higher Education Act. The current maximum restriction is one year, and the ministry intends to introduce the longer penalty beginning with next year's CSAT, subject to legislative approval.
Criminal enforcement, however, does not depend on that amendment. The ministry plans to pursue investigations into smart-glasses cheating under existing legal provisions.
Officials are also encouraging universities to adopt comparable penalties for their own admissions procedures, including written examinations and interviews. Unlike the national CSAT restrictions, universities can introduce disciplinary measures through their existing institutional regulations.
The immediate focus is on strengthening supervision ahead of the November 19 examination.
South Korea plans to assign a designated smart-glasses inspection specialist to each of its 1,312 CSAT testing locations. These staff members will assist exam supervisors in determining whether suspicious eyewear contains electronic components or other prohibited technology.
Regional education offices will provide training before the examination. When staff cannot confidently identify a device, they will be able to request assistance through an emergency coordination system involving education authorities and the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation.
The ministry is also considering electronic detection equipment. Specialized organizations are developing radio-frequency detectors that could help identify unauthorized devices, with nationwide distribution potentially beginning next year if testing demonstrates their effectiveness.
Smart glasses were formally added to the CSAT's prohibited-device list in July. Under the existing rules, students can have their examination invalidated simply for bringing the devices into a testing location, even if they remain inside a bag.
Refusing a supervisor's request to inspect suspected smart glasses can also result in penalties following a review.
The restrictions come after authorities uncovered multiple attempts to use AI eyewear during examinations.
In May, a candidate taking a national fire protection engineering qualification exam in Gwangju was discovered wearing smart glasses after a supervisor noticed an unusual reflection from the lenses.
Prosecutors subsequently indicted the individual under the National Technical Qualifications Act, marking South Korea's first reported criminal prosecution involving AI smart glasses used for cheating on a national licensing examination.
Investigators said the suspect had developed an AI application that worked with the glasses and wanted to evaluate whether it could answer questions during an actual test.
Two additional suspects were investigated over similar attempts at national qualification examination centers in Seoul and Mokpo during the same month.
Authorities also identified cases involving the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), including two candidates in May and another in June.
Similar misconduct has emerged in university admissions examinations, including essay-based tests at the University of Seoul and Yonsei University.
These incidents have prompted examination administrators to reconsider whether existing rules and supervision methods adequately address increasingly sophisticated wearable technology.
South Korea has previously pursued criminal penalties for organized examination cheating. In 2005, students involved in a scheme to exchange CSAT answers using mobile phones received eight-month prison sentences suspended for two years.
The ministry is also introducing additional protections for examination supervisors, who may face greater responsibility when inspecting suspected AI devices.
All CSAT invigilators will receive liability insurance with expanded coverage, including legal representation and litigation expenses. The government also plans to improve supervisor compensation beginning with the 2028 examination.
The new measures reflect a shift from treating unauthorized AI devices solely as an examination rule violation toward pursuing criminal investigations when their use constitutes deliberate cheating.
For students, the consequences could extend beyond losing a single examination result. Those caught using smart glasses may face police investigations, while proposed legislative changes could prevent them from retaking the CSAT for as long as three years.
With the November 19 examination approaching, South Korea is prioritizing trained inspection personnel and coordinated enforcement while evaluating whether electronic detection systems can provide an additional safeguard in future testing cycles.
This analysis is based on reporting from The Chosun Daily.
Image courtesy of Yonhap.
This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy and quality.
