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BackMultiple Purported AI-Assisted Cheating Incidents Reported Across South Korea's SKY Universities During October 2025 Midterms

Multiple Purported AI-Assisted Cheating Incidents Reported Across South Korea's SKY Universities During October 2025 Midterms

Oct 15, 20251 reportAssistantHigh confidence

Students at three elite South Korean universities used ChatGPT and other AI tools to cheat on online midterm exams, with dozens of students admitting to the misconduct.

In October 2024, mass cheating incidents involving AI tools occurred at South Korea's three most prestigious universities, known collectively as SKY schools. At Yonsei University in Seoul, dozens of students used ChatGPT, textbooks, and computer programs during an online midterm exam for a course on 'Natural Language Processing and ChatGPT' on October 15. The exam was administered online with laptop cameras monitoring students, but 40 students admitted to cheating after professors reviewed camera footage. Similar incidents emerged at Seoul National University and Korea University, where students used AI during online tests for courses on aging societies and statistics. At Korea University, students shared screen recordings and answers through group chats during the exam. The cheating was discovered when students reported the misconduct to professors. All universities imposed penalties of zero scores for the cheating students. According to a 2024 survey by the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training, over 90 percent of South Korean college students with generative AI experience had used these tools on school assignments. The universities had established AI guidelines prohibiting unauthorized use, with Korea University maintaining an 82-page guidebook defining AI-generated content submission as academic misconduct.

Domain classification, causal taxonomy, severity scores, and national security assessments were LLM-classified and may contain errors.

Risk Domain

4Malicious Actors & Misuse

4.3Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation

Using AI systems to gain a personal advantage over others such as through cheating, fraud, scams, blackmail or targeted manipulation of beliefs or behavior. Examples include AI-facilitated plagiarism for research or education, impersonating a trusted or fake individual for illegitimate financial benefit, or creating humiliating or sexual imagery.

Causal Classification

Entity

Human

Due to a decision or action made by humans

Intent

Intentional

Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal

Timing

Post-deployment

Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed

Harm Severity Assessment

Highest Score:1 — Negligible

National Security Assessment

Overall Score(1/5)

Stakeholders

Developers: OpenAI, Unnamed Generative AI Companies
Deployers: Students At Yonsei University, Students At Seoul National University, Students At Korea University
Harmed Parties: Yonsei University, Seoul National University, Korea University, Students At Yonsei University, Students At Seoul National University, Students At Korea University, Faculty And Staff At Yonsei University, Faculty And Staff At Seoul National University, Faculty And Staff At Korea University, General Public, General Public Of Korea, Academic Integrity, Epistemic Integrity

AI System Classification

Primary Purpose: Writing Assistant
Secondary Purpose: Translation
Behaviour Type: Assistant
EU AI Act Risk Level: 4 Minimal or No Risk
Occurrences: 3

Population Impact

Reportedly Harmed: 40
Reportedly Exposed: 40

External Links

View on AI Incident Database

Multiple Purported AI-Assisted Cheating Incidents Reported Across South Korea's SKY Universities During October 2025 Midterms

Oct 15, 20251 reportAssistantHigh confidence

Students at three elite South Korean universities used ChatGPT and other AI tools to cheat on online midterm exams, with dozens of students admitting to the misconduct.

Domain classification, causal taxonomy, severity scores, and national security assessments were LLM-classified and may contain errors.

Risk Domain

4Malicious Actors & Misuse

4.3Fraud, scams, and targeted manipulation

Causal Classification

Entity

Human

Due to a decision or action made by humans

Intent

Intentional

Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal

Timing

Post-deployment

Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed

Harm Severity Assessment

Highest Score:1 — Negligible

National Security Assessment

Overall Score(1/5)

Stakeholders

Developers

OpenAI, Unnamed Generative AI Companies

Deployers

Students At Yonsei University, Students At Seoul National University, Students At Korea University

Harmed Parties

Yonsei University, Seoul National University, Korea University, Students At Yonsei University, Students At Seoul National University, Students At Korea University, Faculty And Staff At Yonsei University, Faculty And Staff At Seoul National University, Faculty And Staff At Korea University, General Public, General Public Of Korea, Academic Integrity, Epistemic Integrity