Han Won-seok, South Korea’s Top Tax Exam Scorer, Admits Cheating
A man who ranked first in South Korea's certified tax accountancy exam has admitted he cheated, using a hidden camera, a phone and artificial intelligence.
A man who ranked first in South Korea's certified tax accountancy exam has admitted he cheated, using a hidden camera, a phone and artificial intelligence. Han Won-seok, 34, made the confession in a video posted on the YouTube account of his lawyer, Lee Don-Ho.
Han said he has also confessed to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and given officers details of how he did it.
Near-perfect score raised suspicion
Han scored 397.5 out of 400 in the first round. He missed only one of 160 questions, a result that drew suspicion and set off speculation online.
He first denied any wrongdoing when the accusations surfaced. He later changed his mind, saying he had thought about the feelings of the candidate who finished second.
How he says he did it
In the video, published on Sunday, Han said he cheated in both the first and second rounds of the exam. "I cheated in both the first and second rounds of the tax account exam by using electronic devices and generative AI," he said.
He described the method in plain terms. "I used a microcamera to photograph the test questions and sent them to an AI then checked my answers on my smartphone to commit the cheating," Han said.
Why the stakes are high
Standardized national tests carry unusual weight in South Korea, where results shape careers. That makes any effort to inflate them a matter of broad public concern.
Han's confession to police means the case is now with investigators, who have his account of the method he used.
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