Korean Job Discussion Forums

[garykasparov]

Test cheaters could face jail term

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2007/11/13/200711130041.asp


Cheaters caught during the nationwide college entrance exam this Thursday could not only get disqualified but also end up in prison.

With the competitive college entrance being the primary reason for Korea's education frenzy, local courts have been strict about punishing exam cheaters, including private cram schools or "hagwon" that provided assistance.

A hagwon owner surnamed Bae was sentenced to one year in prison for sending the answers to his students during the Korea Scholastic Aptitude Test four years ago.

A student surnamed Lee had transmitted images of test papers to Bae, and his test results were nullified. The district court of Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, sentenced Lee to eight months in jail and two years' probation.

Students who received answers from Bae via their mobile phones were disqualified and fined up to 5 million won ($5,500) - the court showed leniency as they were first-time offenders who expressed regret.

"Cheating leaves most good-willed examinees and their parents in great deprivation and unbearable anger," the court said in the ruling. "Students who cheat would only be starting dishonest lives."

Those who got caught for suggesting proxy test-taking or stealing test papers were also put behind bars.

In 2004, a man surnamed Oh received a total of 42 million won from examinees by promising to introduce them to students of prestigious universities willing to take the KSAT for them. The Seoul District Court sentenced Oh to a year and half in prison, four years of probation and 160 hours of community service.

In 2005, a second-time KSAT taker surnamed Kim broke into a local education office to steal test papers and was sentenced to four years in jail and a year's probation.

An examinee who had paid a senior student to take the test for him three times was also sentenced to a year's jail term, two years' probation and 80 hours of community service.

Those who got into college through cheating can still be charged for their wrongdoing.

A student surnamed Kim had to drop out after three years in college because he was found to have cheated in the KSAT in 2003. Kim filed a lawsuit against the Education Minister to withdraw the nullification of his test result but the Seoul Administrative Court ruled against him.


By Kim So-hyun


([email protected])







2007.11.13

[Pak Yu Man]

So cheating for this test is bad. Any other time it' fine though. WTF? I've never met a bigger bumch of cheaters.

[Whistleblower]

One word ...









"cunning"!

[mountainous]

If the students get punished, won't that cause them to lose face? The people that busted them caused them to lose face which is even worse.

[bassexpander]

And I'll bet the tax chief gets let go eventually.