According to data from the Human Resources Development Service of Korea on 24/8, five students were found to have cheated in technical certification exams held in May and June.

The Human Resources Development Service had expanded its list of prohibited devices in May, authorizing invigilators to suspend exams and nullify results for violating students. Currently, smart glasses are not explicitly named in the list of banned items, which includes mobile phones, digital cameras, and pens with integrated cameras.

To keep pace with technological advancements, the Ministry of Labor of Korea plans to adopt more comprehensive language rather than amending regulations each time a new device emerges.

"We are considering making the regulations more flexible to respond quickly to technological changes," a Ministry of Labor official stated.

The public consultation process is set to begin in September, with the Ministry expecting to finalize the revisions this year.

Visitors experience Rokid AI smart glasses with integrated displays at the AWE 2026 exhibition in Shanghai on 13/3. Photo: China Daily

Sophisticated cheating methods using smart glasses have occurred in multiple locations. In Gwangju and Daegu, students were detected when invigilators noticed electronic light or sound emanating from their glasses. In Mokpo, a student was caught pressing a button on the spectacle frame, which activated a blue screen on the lens.

In Seoul, invigilators discovered a hidden camera lens within the glasses frame of a student taking the information processing engineer exam. Meanwhile, in Ulsan, a student had both a camera and a screen equipped on their glasses.

All five cases resulted in penalties, with three individuals having their files forwarded to the prosecution. The incident in Gwangju in June became the first criminal case in South Korea involving cheating with AI-integrated smart glasses. A man in his 40s, taking a fire safety equipment engineer certification exam, was accused of violating the National Technical Qualifications Act.

The national technical certification exam center in Pohang, North Gyeongsang province. Photo: Korea Herald

Smart glasses have also caused issues in other exams, including two cases in the TOEIC exam in May and three cases in the TOPIK exam last year. In response, the National Institute for International Education (which manages TOPIK) installed radio wave and metal detectors at all test centers starting in April. The Ministry of Education is also collaborating with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education to send guidelines to schools on how to detect AI glasses.

The risk of cheating with these devices became even more apparent when a technology YouTuber posted a video in June demonstrating how AI glasses could solve all 30 questions of a suneung (college entrance exam) math practice test in just 18 minutes, achieving a score of 96 out of 100 points.

Hong Hanh (According to SCMP, Korea Herald)