S. Korea mulls over longer bans, criminal complaints for use of AI glasses in college entrance tests

SEOUL – South Korea’s Education Ministry plans to step up enforcement against students using smart glasses to cheat on the country’s annual college entrance exam, including by filing criminal complaints or requesting investigations.The ministry said on Oct 29 it is also considering extending the ban on repeat test-takers caught cheating, from one year to up to three years.It will urge universities to adopt similarly strict penalties for their own admissions tests in 2026.Authorities will assign one staff member to each of the 1,312 test sites nationwide to help identify smart glasses and other prohibited devices during this year’s College Scholastic Ability Test, known as Suneung.The ministry also plans to assess radio-signal detectors being developed by specialist institutions. If deemed feasible, the devices could be distributed to test sites starting in 2027.The measures follow rules announced in July that list smart glasses as prohibited items for the 2027 academic year’s Suneung.Under current regulations, wearing or using the glasses invalidates a student’s results and bars them from taking the following year’s exam.Students found with the devices who fail to surrender them before the first session can have their current-year results invalidated.Refusing a proctor’s request to inspect a smart device may also lead to invalidation of the current results and disqualification from the following year’s exam, after a review.The ministry said it would also protect teachers who diligently supervise exams from being held responsible or disadvantaged when cheating involves smart glasses or other devices. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK