Number of TOPIK Applicants Surges 2.5 Times in 5 Years
Cheating, Including Proxy Test-Taking and Score Forgery, Remains Persistent
Kim Daesik: "Management Systems Must Be Strengthened"
As the number of foreigners seeking to learn Korean increases, the number of applicants for the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) has surged 2.5 times over the past five years. However, instances of cheating, such as proxy test-taking, continue to occur. Concerns have been raised that, despite the rapid increase in the number of countries administering the test and the number of test-takers, there is a lack of proctors and insufficient technological measures to respond to these challenges.
TOPIK is an exam designed to assess and evaluate the Korean language proficiency of overseas Koreans and foreigners whose native language is not Korean. It is mainly taken by foreigners, as it is used for university admission and graduation in Korea, employment at Korean companies both domestically and abroad, and for visa and residency qualification reviews.
As the number of foreigners learning Korean increases, the number of applicants for the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) has increased 2.5 times over the past five years. Photo by Asia Economy DB
According to the office of Assemblyman Kim Daesik, a member of the National Assembly’s Education Committee, the number of TOPIK applicants increased by 67% from 223,187 in 2021 to 372,822 last year. The number of applicants this year is expected to rise significantly. By May of this year, 191,461 people had already taken the test, surpassing half of the total number of test-takers from the previous year.
The number of countries administering the test has also increased, expanding from 75 countries in 2021 to 89 countries this year. Notably, the number of candidates taking the internet-based test (IBT), which was introduced in 2023, has tripled in three years, rising from 2,256 to 6,435.
However, cheating continues to be an issue. Over the past five years, there have been a total of 1,611 recorded cases of misconduct related to TOPIK.
Of these, there were 137 cases of proxy test-taking and solicitation, 488 cases involving possession of unauthorized communication devices, and 32 cases of falsification or alteration of score certificates, among other violations undermining the fairness of the exam.
Additionally, a significant proportion of violations have been detected at some overseas test centers, particularly in Vietnam (233 cases), China (132 cases), and Uzbekistan (105 cases), raising concerns about blind spots in management.
Assemblyman Kim Daesik stated, "As enthusiasm for learning Korean spreads worldwide, the number of TOPIK test-takers and test centers is rapidly increasing, but there is still a shortage of proctors and technological measures." He added, "Since it is difficult to completely prevent proxy test-taking or cheating through system improvements alone, we need to strengthen on-site management systems." He also said, "To ensure that TOPIK becomes a fair exam, I will closely examine the status of misconduct management and test center operations during this year’s National Assembly audit."
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