[Anchor]
To study or find employment in Korea, foreigners must take the Korean Language Proficiency Test, known as TOPIK.
However, some Chinese international students with limited Korean skills are engaging in illegal proxy testing.
This is the Scene of the Incident 360, with reporter Choi Da-ham.
[Reporter]
This is the National Institute for International Education, where TOPIK is administered.
TOPIK is a Korean language proficiency test for foreigners, required for foreign nationals to enter Korean universities or find employment in Korea.
However, it appears that proxy testing is secretly arranged through professional brokers among Chinese students.
Let's investigate the proxy test process for TOPIK.
Searching for "proxy test" on a Korean community forum for Chinese residents brings up dozens of inquiry posts.
In the posts, commenters offer help with proxy testing and list their IDs for contact on Chinese messaging apps.
When I inquired about proxy testing with one of these IDs, a broker suggested a meeting.
The broker showed several photos of test admission tickets belonging to previous clients.
[Broker A]
"(Are they all international students?) Yes, all are international students. This is personal information, so look quickly. It would be problematic if you recognize anyone."
The broker claims to have bribed exam proctors by giving them half of the profits, assuring that there's no chance of being caught.
[Broker A]
"(What if we get caught?) No need to worry. We register everyone at one test center and then pay off the proctors."
I also contacted another broker.
This time, the broker suggested sending someone with a similar appearance to the test site.
[Broker B]
"We’ll select someone who looks most like you. There’s no chance of being noticed or caught."
During the test, proctors check the ID photo and face up to three times, but the broker claims they can deceive the proctors.
[Chinese International Student A]
"If the test taker is female, they’ll apply makeup to look like the client. For males, they’ll match the hairstyle…"
Clients pay brokers between 8 million and 11 million KRW, depending on the test level, along with a passport, and the broker hires a proxy test-taker.
[Chinese International Student B]
"A broker contacted me in a group chat, asking if I’d take the test for someone else. They offered me 300,000 to 400,000 KRW."
In the past five years, 86 test-takers in Korea have been caught engaging in proxy testing for TOPIK.
Those caught can face up to 7 years and 6 months in prison or a fine of up to 15 million KRW, and they may be deported.
[Park Jung-yoon / Lawyer]
"Because they deceive government officials, it constitutes obstruction of official duties by deception. And presenting a proxy’s test admission ticket constitutes fraudulent use of official documents..."
The National Institute for International Education explained that they randomly assign two proctors per test room, making it difficult to bribe them in advance.
They also stated that they respond with a zero-tolerance policy when cheating is detected.
This has been Choi Da-ham, Scene of the Incident 360.
Producer: Choi Soo-yeon
Majung offers legal consultations for foreign residents in Korea who need legal assistance. Please contact us at the number below for more detailed advice.
Majung Law Firm Foreign Center: 02-3143-1158
Online Consultation: https://majungforeign.kr/contact-en
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