EPS-TOPIK cheating expected to end with tablet-based system: officials

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EPS-TOPIK, the standardized Korean language test for foreign workers under the Employment Permit System (EPS), will move entirely to tablets next year, a change officials say will strengthen fairness and curb cheating, reflecting the government’s efforts to uphold integrity in the testing process.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Ministry of Justice has detected no cheating cases since last year. As the final gatekeeper in the EPS application process, the Ministry of Justice verifies applicants at the visa issuance stage, using biometric facial analysis to match test-takers’ photos with their passport pictures.

The test’s initial screening is conducted by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, which oversees nonprofessional employment programs — most notably the EPS — that require applicants to submit TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) or EPS-TOPIK scores.

“There used to be cases where the Ministry of Justice would catch these fraud attempts and inform us, but ever since the spread of UBT (ubiquitous-based test), nothing is coming from that ministry anymore, which means we are catching everything ourselves now, all thanks to the new system,” a labor ministry official told The Korea Times.

To block TOPIK cheating in test centers overseas, the paper-based testing method was replaced by the tablet-based format starting in 2021. By the end of this year, the tablet-based EPS-TOPIK will be used in 14 of the 17 countries that send workers to Korea through the EPS program. By the end of 2026, it is expected to be fully implemented across all partner nations.

This shift to tablet-based testing is designed to boost security and make cheating harder.

“For example, tablet-based tests can show different questions to different test-takers in the same room, making it virtually impossible for them to copy answers,” said an official at the state-run Human Resources Development Service of Korea, which oversees EPS-TOPIK operations.

Moreover, tablets used for the test enable live audio and video recording of examinees ― with facial recognition and motion detection ― so attempts to use cheating materials can be flagged and reviewed, he added.

The penalty for serious violations, like proxy testing or submitting forged documents, is a four-year ban from retaking the EPS-TOPIK and loss of eligibility for working under the EPS system. Lesser violations, such as possession of electronic devices without intent to cheat, are subject to a two-year ban from retaking the test.

As technology evolves, screening for cheating in tablet-based and online tests is expected to become far more robust, making dishonest behavior increasingly difficult, according to the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

As part of efforts to eradicate test cheating, the ministry has also produced and distributed anti-cheating videos and posters, and operates an online reporting center to collect information about suspected cases.

“We will continue to step up efforts to stamp out cheating,” a labor ministry official said. “Given that the ability to communicate in Korean is related to the safety of workers here, it is important to actually understand the language.”