South Korea plans criminal action over cheating with AI glasses
Those who use smart glasses during the entrance examination could soon face a criminal investigation and a three-year ban.
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South Korea’s Ministry of Education wants to take tougher action against candidates who cheat with AI glasses during the national entrance examination. The ministry has announced criminal complaints and wants to extend the exclusion of examination candidates from one year to three.
The measures follow concerns about smart glasses that can combine cameras, microphones and generative AI. The College Scholastic Ability Test, South Korea’s national entrance examination, is the examination to which the announced measures apply.
The ministry says that using such glasses should be regarded as a deliberate disruption of the organisation of the examination. In that case, complaints can be filed or police investigations requested for fraud in the performance of government duties or disruption of business activities.
The current exclusion following examination fraud lasts one year, according to the ministry. Extending it to three years requires an amendment to the Higher Education Act. As a result, that measure cannot simply take effect immediately for all examinations.
For this year’s examination, staff will be appointed at all 1,312 examination venues to focus specifically on smart glasses. A rapid reporting structure will also be established between examination venues, the ministry and education authorities.
The authorities are also examining whether radio-frequency detectors can be deployed. This is not yet a nationwide measure: it must first be established whether the technology is suitable for examination venues.
The discussion also touches on the responsibility of supervisors. The ministry wants to prevent teachers who comply with the rules from getting into trouble themselves when they want to check a pair of glasses. For pupils, the approach means that not only actual cheating, but also bringing a pair of glasses into the examination or refusing a check could be punished severely.
The measures in South Korea also raise a practical question: how do you check new devices that look like ordinary glasses? The announced criminal approach is a policy proposal; ultimately, a judge will have to assess whether specific cases meet the criteria for criminal offences.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- South Korea wants to make criminal investigations possible in cases of cheating with smart glasses.
- The exclusion of examination candidates may be extended from one year to three.
- The authorities are deploying additional staff and examining technical detection.
Left
Arguments Strict sanctions can be justified to protect fair access to education, but criminal law must remain proportionate. Schools and pupils must also know clearly which devices are prohibited.
Values Equality, proportionality, accessible education and protection against arbitrariness.
Consequences An overly harsh approach could disproportionately affect pupils who accidentally have a prohibited device with them.
Centre
Arguments The institutional approach is to first organise clear rules, appeal procedures and reliable checks. Criminal prosecution should mainly apply to demonstrable and intentional deception.
Values Legal certainty, practicality, equal treatment and confidence in examinations.
Consequences This could make implementation slower, but would reduce the risk of arbitrariness and legal disputes.
Right
Arguments National examinations must remain completely reliable. Anyone who deliberately tries to cheat with technology undermines the system and should therefore be excluded for a lengthy period.
Values Responsibility, order, merit and protection of institutions.
Consequences Severe sanctions can act as a deterrent, but also increase the pressure on supervisors and pupils.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The announced measures, the number of examination venues and the proposed legislative amendment have been confirmed by recent reporting. The text distinguishes between existing rules, announced measures and technical applications that remain uncertain.
- confirmed South Korea’s Ministry of Education wants to take criminal action against cheating with smart glasses. — Mentioned in the SBS News publication of 29 October 2026. source
- confirmed The exclusion is to be extended from one year to three. — The ministry announced this; according to the source, implementation requires a legislative amendment. source
- confirmed There are 1,312 examination venues, and one staff member will be appointed at each venue. — Mentioned in reporting on the response plan. source
- confirmed Radio-frequency detection is still being examined. — The source describes this as a feasibility study, not as an implemented nationwide measure. source
Editor's note
The announced criminal approach and three-year exclusion have been confirmed as policy plans. The legislative amendment and possible deployment of detection technology are not yet final.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- RTL Nieuws — „zuid-korea onderwijs”
- NOS — „zuid-korea onderwijs”
- Het Parool — „zuid-korea onderwijs”