Stricter rules to thwart cheating on SAT tests

Following a leak scandal earlier this year, the U.S. Educational Testing Service, the organizer of the Scholastic Aptitude Tests, announced stronger security measures for Korea and a few other countries.

ETS said yesterday that for SAT examinees in Korea, Thailand and Vietnam, no cell phones or other electronic devices will be allowed in the testing location.

It added that on the day of the test, changes to the type of test or the testing place will not be allowed.

ETS said that it plans to place adult examinees over the age of 22 in separate testing locations from regular students. Those taking the test overseas will be identified by passport.

Late last month, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced a teacher from a private education institute to eight months in prison, saying that he leaked questions from the SAT.

The lecturer, surnamed Jang, 36, was a popular lecturer at a SAT preparatory class in Seoul’s Gangnam District.

Earlier, he had confessed to prosecutors that he leaked exam sheets from the SAT and used them in his classes.

Along with Jang, another lecturer surnamed Kim allegedly obtained SAT questions and answers from someone who took the exam in Bangkok.

Police said that Jang pretended to take the SAT at a school in Gyeonggi and then stole the questions by cutting them up or entering the questions into calculators. Also, on the day of the test, the lecturers changed their testing locations.

By Cho Jae-eun [jainnie@joongang.co.kr]