First Class used AI in the examination of accountants in South Korea

A south Korea police today opened an investigation against the candidate who got the highest grade in the exam for tax accountants of 2026, after he confessed to using artificial intelligence (IA).

The candidate drew attention when reaching the highest score — almost perfect: 397.5 out of 400 points —, just one of the 160 questions. Initially, the man had denied allegations of fraud involving the use of connected glasses.

“ We received a confession, through the candidate's lawyer, this morning, referring to a cheating on the exam for tax accountants ", reported the Metropolitan Police of Seoul, in a statement.

“ We plan to act quickly to suspend the validity of the certificate issued to the individual (...), which will cancel its approval in the examination”, added the Ministry of Economics and Finance.

In a video posted on the YouTube video platform, the applicant recognizes the facts, for which he says “repent deeply”.

“ I used a miniature camera to photograph the questions of the exam and sent them to an AI; then I checked the answers on my phone ", reported.

The man's lawyer said that he would not give further details out of fear that other people could use the same method.

The candidate said that he was facing financial difficulties since he quit his job and started a company of his own.

“I wanted to make money and hated the idea of disappointing my parents after leaving a good job,” he added.

“ So I decided to prepare for a professional certification. I wanted my parents to be proud of me again,” the man explained.

According to the government body that oversees the examination, two inspectors were present in the room where the candidate who cheated was present.

The body states that from now on it will highlight inspectors specialized in detecting AI-based cheating tools in national examinations.

One of them even caught a candidate wearing connected glasses during an engineering examination in October.

In the same month, the government had warned that it would file a criminal complaint against any student caught cheating on the entrance exam to universities with the use of glasses connected and that would make the sanctions more stringent.

The exam, which will take place on 19 November, is the most important proof in the lives of secondary school students, because they are at stake in the best universities, which can provide the best financial and even marital perspectives.