Major Arrests in Nationwide Exam Paper Leak Scandal
A significant number of high school teachers and academy instructors have been arrested for their involvement in a long-term scheme to leak national exam papers and answer keys. This incident has raised serious concerns about the integrity of the educational system and the security of important academic assessments.
On the 22nd, the Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Regional Investigation Division announced that they had referred 46 individuals, including three current high school teachers and 43 academy instructors, to prosecutors. These suspects are being charged with unauthorized opening of official sealed documents, violations of the Higher Education Act, and other related offenses. They are accused of preemptively opening sealed envelopes containing exam papers and answer keys for the National Joint Academic Assessment and College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) mock exams before their official release dates and leaking them.
Earlier, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education discovered that questions, answers, and explanations for the 2025 academic year June National Joint Academic Assessment were shared in advance in an open chat room attended by over 3,200 academy instructors and others. The office then requested a police investigation into the matter.
According to the police investigation, a current high school teacher, Mr. A, and an academy instructor, Mr. B, who are graduate school seniors and juniors, leaked sealed question-and-answer sheets from regional education offices before the official release of nationwide exams. They used these materials as teaching resources. The police found that they had torn open and leaked sealed question-and-answer sheets four times between April 2022 and June 2025.
During the investigation, police also identified 43 current high school teachers and academy instructors who leaked question-and-answer sheets 14 times during CSAT mock exams held between June 2019 and June 2025.
Some instructors formed groups via online communities and social media (SNS) to obtain exam papers in advance, create answer explanations, and distribute them. Although CSAT mock exams do not provide official answer explanations, these instructors separately produced them to promote themselves and their affiliated academies.
However, police confirmed no evidence that the suspects demanded or received financial compensation in exchange for providing the question-and-answer sheets.
Police stated, “Regarding issues with the management and supervision of these exams and the lack of administrative sanctions against academies involved in leaks, we plan to request institutional improvements from the Ministry of Education and regional education offices.”
Impact on the Educational System
This scandal has sparked widespread concern among students, parents, and educators. The leakage of exam papers undermines the fairness of the assessment process and raises questions about the effectiveness of current oversight mechanisms. The fact that such a large number of individuals were involved suggests a systemic issue rather than isolated incidents.
The role of academy instructors in this scandal is particularly concerning. These individuals are often seen as trusted sources of academic guidance, and their involvement in leaking exam materials could erode public confidence in the entire educational system.
Calls for Institutional Reforms
The police have emphasized the need for institutional reforms to prevent similar incidents in the future. They have called on the Ministry of Education and regional education offices to implement stricter measures for managing and supervising exams. This includes enhancing security protocols for handling exam materials and imposing more rigorous administrative sanctions on institutions found to be complicit in leaks.
In addition, there is a growing demand for transparency and accountability within the education sector. Parents and students are urging authorities to take decisive action to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to succeed without the advantage of insider knowledge.
Conclusion
The arrest of 46 individuals involved in the leak of national exam papers marks a significant step in addressing corruption within the educational system. However, it also highlights the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to safeguard the integrity of academic assessments. As the investigation continues, the focus will likely shift toward implementing long-term solutions to prevent such incidents from occurring again.
