Chinese students hired proxy test-takers to get into top Seoul universities and even win scholarships

[Financial News] Foreign nationals who illegally obtained TOPIK scores through proxy testing and other fraudulent methods, then used them to enter leading universities in Seoul or receive scholarships, have been arrested by police.
According to JoongAng Ilbo on the 21st, the International Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it had detained a group that took proxy tests using forged IDs, arranged such tests, or cheated on the exam with small earpieces and other devices.
All of the suspects were Chinese nationals except for one naturalized citizen.
Police sent a man in his 20s, identified as A, who brokered the entire test registration process, to prosecutors in January on charges of obstructing official duties by deception. They also confiscated about 150 million won out of roughly 200 million won in criminal proceeds.
More than 100 people who requested proxy test-taking were also booked without detention on the same charges. More than 10 proxy test-takers were additionally charged with offenses including forgery of official documents and were mostly sent to prosecutors.
The crimes were carried out from October 2021 through November last year.
The Chinese ringleader reportedly recruited clients and test-takers through ads on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu (RedNote). He made forged IDs in the clients' names and selected test-takers who resembled them to take the exam on their behalf.
Another scheme involved a device courier. After the courier handed over the equipment to the test-takers, they reportedly received real-time answers through an app, earpieces, and mobile phones on the day of the exam.
The clients who requested proxy testing are believed to have paid brokers about 10,000 to 35,000 yuan each, or roughly 2 million to 8 million won. Proxy test-takers who were fluent in Korean, including ethnic Koreans from China, reportedly received about 800,000 won per exam.
TOPIK is used by foreign nationals to obtain or extend visas in Korea, earn degrees, and find jobs. The suspects are believed to have used the scores they obtained this way to earn degrees and receive scholarships at universities in Seoul and elsewhere.
Police are tracking the Chinese ringleader and two device couriers. A police official said, "This was a crime that undermined fairness in society by exploiting fraudulent scores to stay in the country and work without qualification," adding, "We will continue to notify relevant agencies and intensify crackdowns on organized and transnational crime."

[email protected] Sung Min-seo Reporter