South Korea arrests teacher and parent accused of breaking into school to steal exam papers

The school has recommended the student for expulsion

A high school teacher in her 30s has been detained by South Korean authorities for allegedly conspiring with a student’s parent to break into her school and steal final exam papers.

Investigators suspect that the teacher may have repeatedly provided exam materials in advance, enabling the student to maintain her top academic standing in her class.

A court in Andong ordered the teacher to be held in custody on Tuesday, followed by the mother’s detention. Police also intend to question the daughter over possible involvement in disrupting school operations, local reports said.

They were reportedly assisted by a school facilities manager, who has also been taken into custody.

According to investigators, the teacher and the parent forced their way into the high school in Andong in north Gyeongsang province at around 1.20am local time on 4 July, reportedly with the cooperation of a security guard who turned a blind eye to the break-in.

However, the attempt was thwarted when the school’s alarm system was triggered, leading to their apprehension.

On Tuesday, following a separate court hearing, both the parent and the school facilities manager were formally arrested. The parent, in their 40s, faces charges of trespassing and interfering with school operations, while the staff member has been accused of facilitating the theft and allowing unlawful entry into the premises.

The school confirmed that the teacher had entered the premises at least seven times after her resignation in February last year, with most of these visits coinciding with exam periods. The teacher had previously worked at the school until February 2024 and is currently employed at another high school in Gyeonggi province.

Police have found evidence of financial transactions between the parent and the teacher, raising further suspicion of a bribery arrangement related to the theft.

On Monday, the school recommended the student for expulsion and will nullify all of her past exam results. She had maintained the top position in her class throughout her time at the school.

Investigations are ongoing, and authorities are continuing to examine the scope of the case, including the possible involvement of the security guard.

Authorities have also confirmed that the teacher was also privately tutoring the student, an act that violates South Korean law barring currently employed schoolteachers from offering paid extracurricular instruction.

Authorities have also since reportedly widened the investigation, uncovering signs that other fixed-term teachers may have also received payments or gifts from parents.

“We are investigating the scope of the stolen test content, the timeline of leaks, possible co-conspirators, and whether money changed hands,” a police spokesperson was quoted as saying by local news outlet Kyunghyang Shinmun.

The incident has triggered widespread outrage among parents, who are demanding accountability and stricter safeguards to prevent such breaches.

“It’s shocking to think something like this, which feels straight out of a drama, happened in our community,” said Kim Su-jeong, the mother of a middle school student. “There are rumours that the mother did this to get her daughter into medical school,” she was quoted as saying by Korea Joongang Daily.