South Korean teacher and parent arrested in late-night exam theft scandal

A teacher and a student’s parent have been arrested in South Korea after allegedly breaking into a high school in the wee hours to steal final exam papers in a case that has renewed concerns over a decline in academic integrity and illegal tutoring.

The incident took place at around 1.20am on July 4, when the teacher and the father of a reportedly high-performing student allegedly entered a high school in the city of Andong, North Gyeongsang province, according to police. They were helped by a school facilities manager who is also under arrest.

The break-in was foiled when the school’s security system was triggered. Police arrested the teacher shortly after, and she was detained on Monday following a pretrial hearing at a court in Daegu. The presiding judge cited the “risk of destroying evidence and fleeing” as reasons for approving the detention.

On Tuesday, the parent and the facilities manager were arrested after a separate court hearing. The parent, who is in his 40s, has been charged with trespassing and business interference, while the staff member is accused of enabling theft and unlawful entry into the school premises.

Speaking to reporters before the hearing, the facilities manager said: “I am sorry … I will cooperate fully with the investigation.”

Investigators believe the trio had targeted exam materials stored at the school ahead of the final term exams. The daughter of the parent has reportedly consistently ranked at the top of her class, but it is yet to be determined whether her previous grades were linked to similar misconduct.