Test-Taker Who Stole English Proficiency Test Papers, Got Answers via AI, and Wrote Notes on Palm Given Suspended Prison Sentence

A test-taker who stole official English proficiency test papers, figured out the answers using artificial intelligence (AI), and took the test with the answers written on their palm has been sentenced to prison with a suspended execution.

The Busan District Court's Western Branch (Judge Kim Sei, 6th Criminal Division) announced on September 23 that it sentenced A, who was indicted on charges of theft and obstruction of business, to six months in prison suspended for one year, along with an order to perform 80 hours of community service.

A was put on trial for stealing preliminary English proficiency test papers from a middle school in Sasang-gu, Busan, on March 22 and April 5, and then taking the exam after memorizing or noting down the answers confirmed through AI.

A, who was preparing for the tax accountant exam, planned the crime after failing to achieve the required English proficiency test score of 65 or higher.

On the day of the exam at 1:38 PM, taking advantage of the moment when the chief test supervisor temporarily left the seat to check whether proctors were deployed, A entered the classroom, opened an envelope containing the preliminary test papers, and took the papers.

During the first crime, A moved to a nearby gas station, photographed the test papers with a smartphone, and inputted them into Google's AI service, Gemini.

A then wrote the answers provided by the AI on the right palm with a ballpoint pen and took the exam at 3:00 PM the same day.

About two weeks later, A stole preliminary test papers from the same test center again, moved to a nearby convenience store, and took the exam after noting down the answers using the same method.

Judge Kim stated, "The crimes were repeated twice and the methods were bold," adding, "The nature of the crime is very poor in terms of damaging trust in the fairness of examinations, which is centered on equal opportunity, and causing a sense of disillusionment among well-intentioned competitors."

A deposited 100,000 won each in criminal deposits for the victims whose test papers were stolen, but as the victims refused to accept them, it was not considered a favorable sentencing factor in the trial.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.