Chinese students caught cheating on Korean language test

By Lee Ha-na

Several Chinese students enrolled in Korean universities have been caught utilizing state-of-the-art devices to cheat on the Korean Language Proficiency Test (KLPT), which measures nonnative speakers’ Korean language ability.

For many Chinese students, how well they score on this test will determine who will graduate and enter the Korean job market.

Gyeonggi police have arrested a 22-year-old Chinese, identified as Ma in family name, a 23-year-old Yang, and others for aiding the students cheat via spy cameras and wireless earphones. Over 20 people have been caught.

Ma, a graduate of a Korean university, gave answers to the KLPT test administered on Oct. 23 at a university in Gwangju and received 300,000 won to 350,000 won from each student.

Last month, Ma also helped fellow Chinese students take the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) by forging their documents and having a student from a top Seoul university take the test in their place.

Han, another student, took the test while wearing a button-shaped camera on his clothes, which transmitted the images of the test questions, to those on the receiving end who then told him the answers through an 8mm wireless earpiece. Although there were 2 supervisors at the test location, there were no metal detectors at these locations.

The police plan to expand their investigation into this shocking situation.