Seoul police say a scheme aimed mostly at Chinese nationals used proxy test-takers, forged IDs and hidden earpieces to rig Korean language exams for visas, jobs and degrees.
A file photo shows a test-taker participating in the Test of Proficiency in Korean (Topik).JOONGANG ILBO
Police arrested 113 people accused of cheating on the Korean language proficiency test through proxy test-takers and the use of electronic devices, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Tuesday.
The suspects were apprehended on charges of taking the Test of Proficiency in Korean (Topik) under forged identities or using miniature earpieces, according to the international crime investigation unit under the Seoul police agency’s provincial special detective division.
The Topik is widely used by foreign nationals seeking to obtain or renew visas, earn academic degrees or secure employment in Korea. A private university in Seoul, for example, requires students to achieve at least Level 4 on the Topik as one of its graduation requirements for international students.
Advertisements related to the Test of Proficiency in Korean (Topik) displayed on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu. It reads that earning an certificate is guaranteed according to Google Translate.SCREEN CAPTURE
An alleged broker was referred to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office with detention in January on charges of obstruction of official duties by fraudulent means. The broker allegedly oversaw every stage of the exam registration process. Of roughly 200 million won ($135,700) worth of criminal proceeds, 150 million won has been confiscated.
Law enforcement booked 101 people who attempted to hire proxy test-takers on the same charge but without detention.
Another 11 alleged proxy test-takers faced additional charges for forging official documents and using the fabricated documents. Most of them were also referred to prosecutors.
The scheme ran from October 2021 through November last year. The suspects are Chinese nationals and one naturalized Korean whose former nationality is unknown.
The offenders relied on two methods for cheating.
In one, a ringleader used advertisements on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu to connect clients seeking proxy test-takers with people willing to sit the exam. The ringleader allegedly produced forged identification cards in the clients' names and recruited stand-ins whose appearances closely resembled those of the applicants.
A translated screenshot of search results for "Topik proxy test" on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu. The image is not directly related to the story.SCREEN CAPTURE
The second method involved a courier who relayed miniature earpieces and other electronic devices to examinees. On the day of the exam, the test-takers allegedly received answers in real time through the device and a mobile phone application.
Clients reportedly contacted brokers and paid between 10,000 and 35,000 yuan ($1,480 and $5,170) per person to arrange the cheating scheme.
Proxy test-takers, many of them ethnic Koreans from China and others with advanced Korean-language skills, reportedly received 800,000 won per exam.
A suspected courier is seen delivering electronic devices for cheating in Dongdaemun District, eastern Seoul, in November 2025.SEOUL METROPOLITAN POLICE AGENCY
Police said some of the suspects used the fraudulently obtained Topik scores to earn degrees and receive scholarships from institutions, including prominent universities in Seoul.
Investigators are continuing to track down the alleged ringleader in China and two couriers who distributed the electronic devices.
"The suspects undermined fairness in our society by exploiting fraudulently obtained test scores to remain in the country or find employment despite lacking the required qualifications," a police official said. "We will continue coordinating with relevant authorities and carry out intensive crackdowns on organized and transnational crime."
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
