Mother and Teacher Arrested for Attempting to Steal Exam Papers
South Korea’s education system has been shaken by a scandal involving a mother and a teacher accused of breaking into a girls’ school in Andong, North Gyeongsang, to steal examination papers for a final-year student.
On August 4, around 2:00 a.m., the school’s alarm went off, and security cameras captured two women trying to enter an office where exam papers were stored. Police arrested them the next day.
Investigations revealed that one of the suspects was the student’s 48-year-old mother, and the other a 31-year-old teacher who had tutored the girl for years.
Reports indicate the teacher may have provided the mother with exam papers for at least two years, receiving 2 million won (about $1,440) each examination period since 2023. The teacher had entered the school at least seven times, mostly during exam periods.
Although the women managed to bypass a fingerprint scanner and enter the correct passcode, the alarm system triggered their flight before they could take the papers. Still, the attempt and past activity were caught on camera.
Local residents expressed shock, with some suggesting the mother’s motive was to secure her daughter’s admission to medical school.
This incident violates the child’s right to fair, merit-based education and equal assessment alongside her peers. By engaging in dishonest and criminal conduct, the mother and teacher not only compromised the integrity of the education system but also set a damaging example for the child, prioritizing personal gain over honesty, fairness, and moral responsibility.
