Switched Glasses as Exam Began... Cheating with "AI Glasses" Caught at Yonsei Essay Exam

Caught after proctors were trained in advance
Considering whether to disqualify the test-taker
Spreading to college admissions after TOEIC and qualification exams

A test-taker was caught wearing smart glasses equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) features during Yonsei University's 2027 early-admission essay exam. Following similar cases involving the TOEIC and national qualification exams, incidents have also emerged in university admissions, heightening concerns about new forms of cheating involving the misuse of AI technology.

Yonsei University said on October 13 that it had caught a test-taker wearing smart glasses during the mathematics essay exam for the natural sciences and integrated tracks, held on October 10 at its Sinchon Campus in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul.

Following recent cases involving the TOEIC and national qualification exams, similar incidents have also emerged in college admissions, heightening concerns about new forms of cheating that exploit AI technology. The image was generated using AI to help illustrate the article.

The test-taker was found to have been wearing regular glasses when an exam proctor checked them before the test began, but to have switched to AI-equipped smart glasses after the exam started. Before the exam, Yonsei University showed proctors photographs of the appearance of smart glasses and the locations of their cameras, and trained them to watch for related cheating.

The test-taker was caught after a proctor noticed during the exam that the glasses looked different from regular glasses and checked them. The proctor confiscated the glasses and allowed the test-taker to finish the exam to avoid disrupting other test-takers. The test-taker reportedly admitted to wearing the smart glasses after the exam ended. Smart glasses are classified as electronic and telecommunications devices and are prohibited in exam venues. Yonsei University has determined that the incident constitutes cheating and is considering follow-up measures, including whether to disqualify the test-taker.

 TOEIC and national qualification exams breached...cheating cases at home and abroad mount

Cheating using smart glasses has not occurred only at Yonsei University. According to an SBS report, a test-taker wearing smart glasses was also caught by a proctor during the essay exam for the natural sciences track at the University of Seoul on October 3. The test-taker reportedly wore regular glasses when their admission ticket was checked, but was discovered using smart glasses during the exam. The University of Seoul immediately removed the test-taker from the exam venue and barred them from taking exams for the next three years. As cheating with smart glasses is being detected at university-specific entrance exams one after another, concerns have been raised that existing proctoring methods have limits in detecting advanced electronic devices.

Cheating using smart glasses has also been detected in certified language tests and national qualification exams. In May, multiple cases of cheating using smart glasses were identified during regular TOEIC tests in South Korea. The image was generated using AI to help illustrate the article.

Cheating using smart glasses has previously been detected in both publicly administered language proficiency tests and national qualification exams. In May, multiple cases of cheating with smart glasses were uncovered during regular TOEIC tests in South Korea. The cases reportedly came to light when proctors grew suspicious of test-takers' glasses and inspected them. A similar incident also occurred during a national technical qualification exam.

In May, a test-taker wearing smart glasses was caught during a national qualification exam related to the Fire Protection System Engineer certification in Gwangju. A proctor noticed an abnormal reflection of light from the lenses, which led to the discovery. The test-taker was indicted on suspicion of violating the National Technical Qualifications Act. The case is reportedly the first in South Korea in which criminal proceedings have been initiated over cheating on an exam using AI smart glasses. Earlier, three test-takers wearing smart glasses or glasses with recording functions were caught during last year's Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK). The test's organizing body invalidated their scores and barred them from taking the test for two years.

Similar cases have also been reported overseas. National Taiwan University invalidated the test score of an applicant caught using AI smart glasses during its medical school entrance exam in June. A proctor reportedly became suspicious after noticing the test-taker repeatedly bringing the exam paper unusually close. An inspection found that smart glasses had been concealed inside the thick frames.

From photographing exam questions to AI-generated solutions...SAT proctoring also tightened

Smart glasses look similar to regular glasses, but depending on the model, they may be equipped with a small camera, a microphone and a display. Some devices can use AI to analyze text and images captured by the camera and show the results on a display in the lenses. If these functions are misused during an exam, the glasses could be used to photograph questions, transmit them externally, and view solutions and answers generated by AI.

In particular, as frames and cameras have become smaller in recent years, some products have emerged that are difficult to distinguish from regular glasses by appearance alone, making exam proctoring more challenging. Education authorities have also begun responding. The Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation has listed smart glasses among the items prohibited in exam venues for the 2027 College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). If a test-taker is caught carrying such a device, it may be treated as cheating and their CSAT score for that year may be invalidated. The Ministry of Education plans to inspect how universities are conducting their own entrance exams in preparation for new forms of cheating, including the use of smart glasses, and to share measures for proctoring and managing the CSAT with universities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.