Two additional cases uncovered beyond those previously reported

Students caught by repeated frame-touching, green lens glow

All four received zero scores; three also faced disciplinary action

A student sits an exam wearing AI smart glasses. [Generated by AI]
A student sits an exam wearing AI smart glasses. [Generated by AI]

Cheating using AI smart glasses has now been confirmed not only in university entrance essay exams but also in middle and high school internal assessments.

According to the Ministry of Education on Monday, a survey of 5,679 middle and high schools nationwide found four confirmed cases of students using AI smart glasses to cheat on internal assessments for the 2026 academic year. Two of the cases had already been reported in the media; the comprehensive survey uncovered two additional incidents.

Three of the four cases occurred at high schools and one at a middle school. All three high schools were general academic high schools. By region, two cases were in Seoul and one each in North Jeolla Province and Jeju. Three occurred during first-semester final exams and one during second-semester midterm exams.

The cheating was detected primarily by proctors who noticed suspicious behavior during the exams. At one Seoul high school, a student who did not normally wear glasses showed up to the exam in AI smart glasses and repeatedly touched the frames. A proctor found the behavior suspicious and confirmed the nature of the glasses after the exam, leading to a cheating ruling. At a high school in North Jeolla Province, a student was caught both repeatedly fidgeting with the frames and displaying a green light reflected in the lenses, which a proctor spotted.

In at least one case, a tip from another student led to the discovery. At a high school in Jeju, a student's use of AI smart glasses during a midterm exam came to light after a fellow student reported it. A proctor kept close watch and observed the student swap out regular glasses for AI smart glasses during the exam. The AI glasses were confirmed after the test, and the student was ruled to have cheated.

A summary of confirmed AI smart glasses cheating cases in school internal assessments. [Generated by AI]
A summary of confirmed AI smart glasses cheating cases in school internal assessments. [Generated by AI]

All four students caught cheating received a score of zero on the relevant subject under their schools' academic performance management rules. Three of the high schools also imposed separate disciplinary measures, including mandatory special education sessions, community service and suspension from attendance.

The Ministry of Education plans to tighten assessment management at schools to prevent cheating using new digital devices such as smart glasses. Schools already brief students on cheating precautions before midterm and final exams, but the ministry intends to issue guidelines requiring such briefings to also take place on exam day itself, as is done for the College Scholastic Ability Test.

Earlier, on June 16, the ministry sent an official notice to metropolitan and provincial education offices urging them to manage assessments rigorously to prevent cheating involving smart glasses.

The ministry plans to distribute student educational materials and on-site guidance covering the confirmed cases during the third week of November. It also intends to discuss cheating prevention measures and support plans through a joint student assessment management committee involving the ministry, metropolitan and provincial education offices, and the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation.

"We will continue to respond to changes in the student assessment environment brought about by advances in digital technology such as AI, and ensure fairness and reliability in school-based assessments," the ministry said.


newday@heraldcorp.com