South Korea's Exam Scandal Deepens with Arrests in Paper Theft Incident

In a troubling incident reflecting South Korea's intense education pressure, police have arrested a high school teacher and a student's father for breaking into a school to steal exam papers. This event is part of a broader trend of exam-related controversies in the country.

In a startling incident that underscores the extreme pressures within South Korea's education system, a high school teacher and the father of a student were arrested for allegedly breaking into a school in Andong to steal exam papers. The break-in occurred around 1:20 AM local time on July 4, but the scheme was thwarted when the school's security alarm was triggered.

Authorities have charged the teacher with accepting bribes and trespassing, while the father is facing charges of unlawful entry. Reports also indicate that a facilities manager at the school, who is accused of aiding the duo, has been arrested as well.

The teacher had been providing private tutoring to the arrested student's child, a practice prohibited for teachers currently employed by schools in South Korea. The student had a history of achieving top grades, raising questions about the potential connection between their academic success and past exam-paper theft cases.

Investigations suggest that financial exchanges between the father and the teacher may have occurred, and authorities suspect that this was not the first time they attempted to steal exam papers. This incident adds to a series of recent scandals connected to the exam system in South Korea, which is known for its fierce competition among students.

In June, law enforcement announced an investigation into a leak of answers to a nationwide English exam that surfaced in an online chatroom. Earlier this year, 249 individuals, including many educators, were apprehended for selling mock questions for the year's critical Suneung exam to private tutoring institutes. Additionally, at the end of 2023, several students filed lawsuits against the government after a testing error cut their allotted time short by 90 seconds.

Amidst these scandals, South Korea continues to be recognized for its high levels of student stress, particularly among those aged 11 to 15. The culture surrounding education is persistently characterized by rigid competition and intense pressure.