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AI glasses used in TOEIC cheating case in Korea for 1st time
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By Park Ung
Cheating attempts using artificial intelligence (AI) smart glasses were caught during a Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) last month, the first such cases detected on one of Korea's most widely taken English proficiency exams.
YBM Korea TOEIC Committee, which administers the exam in Korea, said Tuesday that two such attempts were caught during last month's regular session, with proctors noticing examinees wearing the devices.
One examinee wore glasses that can be purchased through an overseas online retailer, while the other wore a model not yet available in Korea.
AI smart glasses are wearable devices that combine cameras, microphones and speakers with generative AI. First released in Korea last month, the glasses can analyze whatever the camera captures and display the results directly on the lens, with no smartphone required. An examinee looking at a test sheet could see answers and translations appear in real time, making the devices highly susceptible to misuse.
To address the risk, the committee has been training proctors to identify various forms of electronic device-based cheating, including AI smart glasses. At test venues, it conducts identity verification, device management and patrol supervision, and follows up after exams with answer similarity analysis and checks for irregular test-taking patterns.
The committee said both cases are being handled through its standard procedures. If cheating is confirmed, scores will be invalidated and the examinee may be barred from taking the exam for up to five years, depending on the severity. Cases involving question leakage or copyright infringement may also result in civil or criminal liability.
“Advanced devices such as AI smart glasses will likely appear in increasingly diverse forms,” a YBM Korea TOEIC Committee executive director said. “If question leaks or organized cheating using such devices is confirmed in the future, we plan to actively explore legal options, including copyright infringement and obstruction of business claims.”