For Entrance Exams, 'Ghostwritten Reports'... Prosecutors Indict 41 Students and Parents

[Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] Students and parents who submitted reports written by entrance exam consulting academy instructors to school and external competitions and won awards have been brought to trial.

On the 28th, the 8th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Lee Hwan-gi) announced that they indicted a total of 41 people, including 39 students and 2 parents who won awards with ghostwritten reports, on charges of obstruction of business or obstruction of official duties by deception.

According to the prosecution, from 2017 to 2019, these individuals registered at entrance exam consulting academies to prepare for college admissions and submitted reports written by instructors as if they had written them themselves to school and external competitions, thereby obstructing fair evaluation processes. The prosecution classified submitting reports to external competitions and private school internal competitions as obstruction of business, and submitting reports to public school internal competitions as obstruction of official duties by deception.

Earlier, the prosecution indicted 10 people who were admitted to universities through early admission with ghostwritten reports without detention. Among 29 people who won awards but were not affected in college admissions, summary indictments with fines were issued. Two parents were put on trial without detention after submitting ghostwritten reports under their children's names to school and external competitions, resulting in awards. Additionally, after supplementary investigations, 17 out of 60 students referred to prosecution were cleared of charges. Four were given suspended prosecutions and the schools were notified.

Meanwhile, the head of the entrance exam consulting academy has already been indicted and was sentenced to 1 year and 4 months in prison in the first trial in March. The deputy head of the academy was sentenced to 1 year in prison with a 3-year probation.

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