Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said on the 21st it busted a large ring that arranged proxy test-taking for Chinese international students on the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK). Police also said they confirmed cases in which foreigners who obtained TOPIK scores through proxy takers entered domestic universities, received degrees, and collected scholarships. The Ministry of Education said it will "draw up measures, such as strictly limiting valid types of identification."

An ad post on Chinese social media Xiaohongshu solicits test-takers for fraudulent sittings of the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) (left), using phrases such as "108th TOPIK registration available" and "high score guaranteed." A small transceiver is attached to the back of a test-taker's neck (right). /Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

The International Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said that it arrested broker A on charges of obstructing the performance of official duties by deception over proxy TOPIK test-taking. It also said it booked without detention 112 people who requested or actually took the proxy exams on the same charge. Police said, "We are currently investigating two couriers who supplied examinees with equipment such as miniature earphones and transceivers, as well as the Chinese ringleader."

According to police, A is suspected of working with a ringleader in China to take TOPIK exams on behalf of Chinese international students for 2 million to 8 million won per test over about four years starting in Oct. 2021. A and the ringleader are said to have paid 800,000 won to the proxy examinee as a fee and pocketed the difference. Police estimate A's criminal revenue at 200 million won.

The National Institute for International Education, which administers TOPIK, said in a press reference distributed that day that "those who cheated were given invalidation of their tests and a four-year suspension of eligibility to take the exam under the basic TOPIK operating rules." It added, "We will also notify the universities they belong to of the dispositions so they can take measures such as canceling degrees and recovering scholarships."

The Ministry of Education said it will prepare measures to prevent TOPIK cheating. The measures are said to include limiting the types of valid identification. It also decided to strengthen penalties when examinees are caught using forged identification.

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