The Andong City Police Department in North Gyeongsang Province reported on 16/7 that a 31-year-old teacher, accompanied by a 48-year-old woman, the mother of a student at the city's high school, broke into the school at 1 a.m. on 4/7.
The teacher had transferred from Andong Girls' High School in February 2024, but her fingerprint data remained in the system, allowing her to bypass security.
The two went to the exam paper storage room on the third floor, but the alarm sounded as they attempted to steal the papers. They fled but were apprehended by police the next day.
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The teacher is escorted from the Andong branch of the Daegu District Court on 14/7. Photo: Yonhap |
The teacher is escorted from the Andong branch of the Daegu District Court on 14/7. Photo: Yonhap
The woman's daughter attends the school. "They have admitted their actions," an investigator at the Andong Police Department said.
Police suspect the pair had committed similar break-ins before, helping the student achieve high grades. The student had consistently ranked first in her class since enrolling in 2023.
The woman allegedly gave the teacher 2 million won (over 1,400 USD) per exam, totaling about 20 million won (over 14,000 USD). They first met in 2020 when the teacher taught the woman's older child.
"They tried to steal exam papers for multiple subjects, not just literature, the subject this teacher taught," the investigator said, adding that a school facilities manager was also arrested for aiding the break-in.
The student was expelled and had all her scores voided after her mother's arrest.
This is the latest in a string of exam-related scandals in South Korea. In February, South Korea's Board of Audit and Inspection revealed that nearly 250 public and private school teachers were caught selling practice exam papers to private institutions over six years, earning an average of 61,000 USD each.
South Korean society places significant emphasis on exams and academic achievement. University entrance exams are considered life-defining, with intense competition.
Huyen Le (AFP, Yonhap, Korea JoongAng Daily)
