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Korea University mandates in-person final exams amid recent cheating allegations

Published: 25 Nov. 2025, 17:46

Korea University's campus in Seongbuk District, northern Seoul [KOREA UNIVERSITY]

Korea University will require most final exams to be taken in person this fall, as a wave of recent cheating allegations in online classes pushes universities to tighten supervision.

The academic affairs team told professors that face-to-face tests will be the default for the fall semester final exams in a notice posted on Nov. 17, according to Korea University on Tuesday.

The notice said “in-person exams are the principle” and added that “assignments or projects may replace exams only when there is a special reason related to course operation.”

The university urged faculty to supervise tests closely to curb cheating.

"If students are found to have cheated, the university can take necessary measures such as assigning no grade or imposing disciplinary action, in accordance with relevant regulations," it said.

Administrators said the policy is meant to ensure fair testing. They added that if an instructor opts for an online exam, the university will issue separate guidelines for remote assessments.

"We will also encourage in-person exams for large online lecture courses where cheating concerns have emerged," a university source said.

Last month, the school detected students sharing questions and answers through a KakaoTalk open chat room during an online general elective exam. The school nullified all exam results.

This month, the engineering college identified signs that some students attempted an online quiz multiple times, raising suspicion of cheating.

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.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]