Cheating scandals at top universities prompt rethink of education in digital era

A string of artificial intelligence (AI)-related cheating scandals at Korea’s prestigious “SKY” universities — Seoul National University, Yonsei University and Korea University — has sparked renewed scrutiny of higher education in the digital era.

As AI tools become a routine part of student life, the incidents are prompting urgent questions about whether universities must rethink how they teach and assess students.

About 190 students at Yonsei University were caught cheating on a midterm exam for a course on natural language processing and ChatGPT, reigniting concerns over academic integrity in the age of cutting edge digital technologies, including AI.

The professor overseeing the course has vowed to take strict action against students caught cheating. Those who come forward voluntarily will receive a zero on the midterm but avoid further penalties, while students who do not turn themselves in could face disciplinary measures, including short-term suspension, in line with university regulations, the professor said.

With about 600 students enrolled, the course was conducted entirely online, and the midterm exam was also administered remotely through a designated website, where students answered multiple-choice questions.

After allegations of cheating emerged, a poll conducted in an online community used by Yonsei students revealed the scale of the issue: Among 353 respondents, roughly 190 admitted to using unauthorized methods during the exam, while 163 said they completed it on their own.

Similar cheating allegations have also surfaced at Seoul National University. During a midterm exam last month for a statistics course, some students were found to have used AI tools to solve problems.

Unlike at Yonsei University, the exam was conducted in person using computers in a classroom, and the school had explicitly warned students not to use AI during the test. The university is reportedly considering nullifying the midterm results and holding a retest.

The online lecture format itself has come under scrutiny following a mass cheating scandal at Korea University.

The course in question — a massive open online class with over 1,400 students — required participants to watch recorded lectures and complete multiple-choice exams remotely. Such large-scale virtual courses, which rapidly expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, are now facing questions over how to ensure academic integrity in an era of remote learning.

During the midterm exam, about 500 students were caught exchanging answers in a group chat online. The test was conducted entirely online, without any proctoring tools such as camera monitoring or remote exam security software.

Yonsei University Seoul campus in Seodaemun District, Seoul / Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seok

Calls for clear AI guidelines

Many students expressed frustration over the large-scale cheating incidents, saying those who broke the rules should be held accountable. Still, they acknowledged that the use of such digital tools has become almost unavoidable in today’s learning environment.

In Korea University’s online community, many students criticized the school and faculty for taking disciplinary action only after the cheating scandal erupted, despite offering online lectures and exams without clear guidelines on academic integrity. They argued that punishing students retroactively, without first setting clear rules for remote learning, was outdated and unfair.

“It’s an indispensable tool for students these days,” said Woo Jung-sik, a senior at Hanyang University. “Some professors prohibit its use, while others encourage it — but in reality, students use it anyway.”

Another student, surnamed Lee, a senior in the College of Education at Korea University, noted that many students are now actively using AI platforms such as Perplexity and Gemini, which have recently become available for free through university promotions.

“Effectively using fast-evolving AI technology is also a skill,” Lee said. “I don’t think simply using AI tools is inherently wrong.”

Another senior from the same college, surnamed Kim, criticized the current education system. “In this rapidly changing AI era, assignments that can be easily solved with AI are losing their meaning.”

Experts say that the recent scandals highlight a deeper challenge facing universities — the urgent need to redefine teaching and learning in the age of artificial intelligence.

“This reflects the reality that traditional teaching methods can no longer remain the same in the AI era,” said Park Joo-ho, a professor at Hanyang University’s Department of Education.

Park stressed that higher education must evolve to foster creativity, rather than relying on conventional lecture-based instruction.

“Most Korean universities still lack clear academic guidelines on AI use in coursework and exams — an issue that has come under sharper scrutiny following the recent incidents,” he added.

Song Ki-chang, an honorary professor of education at Sookmyung Women’s University, expressed concern that it is difficult for universities to completely move away from testing students on basic knowledge.

“Understanding and application are all based on foundational knowledge,” he said. “It would be problematic for higher education institutions to skip the process of evaluating whether students have properly acquired that knowledge.”

Song added that the time has come for universities to establish clearer guidelines on AI use.

“It’s impossible to completely ban the use of AI,” he said. “But without clear standards, students could become overly dependent on it.”