Chinese Individuals Caught Attempting to Take Exams Using Fake Foreign Registration Cards
Chinese individuals who attempted to take the Korean Language Proficiency Test (TOPIK) using counterfeit foreign registration cards have been consecutively apprehended.
On the 29th, during the 101st Korean Language Proficiency Test held on the 13th at Soongsil University in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, a Chinese woman was caught and arrested in the act after presenting a fake foreign registration card to an exam supervisor.
The police captured A's circumstances when they discovered evidence on A's phone that she had been negotiating with an exam broker through a Chinese chat application prior to the test. It is reported that A stated during the investigation that she agreed to receive 600,000 won after taking the exam.
The Korean Language Proficiency Test (TOPIK) is an official examination that assesses the Korean language skills of overseas Koreans or foreigners who do not use Korean as their native language. It is administered by the National Institute for International Education under the Ministry of Education, and the results of this exam are highly significant as they are utilized for various purposes, including university admissions, employment, and obtaining residence visas in South Korea.
Similar Cases Reported at Various Universities Nationwide
The issue suggests the possibility of an organized proxy exam network, as not only Soongsil University but also Hanseong University and Inje University caught Chinese individuals attempting to take exams using fake foreign registration cards in a similar manner on the same day.
According to a report by MBN, the counterfeit foreign registration cards used by these individuals were all labeled as issued by the Ulsan Immigration Office and had the same issuance date recorded.
Additionally, the National Institute for International Education reported through the media that the cost of hiring for proxy exams is estimated to be around 5 to 6 million won, with most clients being international students.
The Dongjak Police Station, Seongbuk Police Station, and Gimhae Central Police Station have launched a thorough investigation into whether this incident is an isolated crime or if there is an organization orchestrating proxy exams.
Image source: A past post selling fake foreign registration cards published by a naturalized Vietnamese individual / Gwangju Immigration and Foreign Affairs Office, photo = Insight
