Entrance essay exam leak at Yonsei sparks uproar over fairness

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Entrance essay exam leak at Yonsei sparks uproar over fairness

Published: 16 Oct. 2024, 17:07 Updated: 16 Oct. 2024, 19:03

Yonsei University's campus in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, is filled with students on Oct. 12, the day of the university admissions written test. [NEWS1]

Complaints from applicants and their parents intensified amid the growing uproar over Yonsei University’s essay exam leak.

According to the Ministry of Education on Tuesday, numerous complaints were filed by applicants and parents demanding a retake of Yonsei's essay exam. On Saturday, the day of the exam, the test materials were distributed an hour before the test, and both the contents and photos of the test paper were posted online, leading to fairness concerns.

"There were no actions that compromised fairness, so there will be no retake,” Yonsei University stated on Monday after the controversy over the leak surfaced.

Although Yonsei University maintained that no photos were taken before or during the exam, evidence contradicting this statement has continued to emerge online, amplifying the outrage among applicants. Pictures of the essay answer sheets for the humanities track were also allegedly leaked, and procedures such as checking cell phones and verifying identifications were allegedly not followed.

Lawsuits to nullify the exam results before the announcement of successful candidates in December have been foreshadowed in online community DCInside.

"Many of my friends feel like they're being exploited or that they can't trust the admissions results,” said one 18-year-old applicant, surnamed Lee. According to education officials, about 18,000 applicants competed for 335 spots in this year’s Yonsei University admissions, with a competition ratio exceeding 50:1.

Post on online community DCInside foreshadowing a lawsuit uploaded on Monday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

As the controversy grew, President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday to "hold those responsible strictly accountable and take stern measures to ensure this does not happen again."

“We will hold those responsible for the leak strictly accountable based on Yonsei University's internal investigation results," commented the Ministry of Education. "We requested thorough oversight to prevent any recurrence of such incidents."

“The ministry's course of action will largely depend on how Yonsei University handles the situation," said an official from the ministry.

On Tuesday afternoon, Yonsei University filed a complaint with the Seodaemun Police Precinct against six individuals on charges of obstruction of business — two identified applicants from the humanities and natural sciences tracks and four others who remain unidentified. The university reportedly identified two suspects based on photos of the exam questions and handwritten answers.

Yonsei also plans to request a police investigation into whether the fairness of the exam process was compromised.

"We will uncover the truth through our own investigation committee and prepare follow-up measures,” a Yonsei University spokesperson said.

"The three core principles of university admissions are fairness, validity, and autonomy," said Prof. Bae Sang-hoon of the College of Education at Sungkyunkwan University. "Universities must restore fairness by improving their systems."

BY LEE CHAN-KYU, PARK JONG-SUH, KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]