142 Seoul Teachers Caught in Scandal
Only 18 Face Severe Disciplinary Action
It has been revealed that 142 teachers in Seoul handed over mock exam questions to private education companies in exchange for compensation, and they will face disciplinary action. However, as the majority of them are expected to receive only minor disciplinary measures, controversy is anticipated.
On October 10, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced, "We have notified each institution of the audit results regarding 142 public and private school teachers in Seoul who engaged in illegal question transactions with private education companies, and have requested that disciplinary committees take action."
Among the 54 public school teachers, it was determined that 4 should receive severe disciplinary action, while 50 should face minor disciplinary measures. In addition, disciplinary surcharges amounting to 4.1 billion won-either three times or equal to the amount of unjust gains-will be imposed on them. Of the 88 private school teachers, 14 will receive severe disciplinary action (including one dismissal, two demotions, and eleven suspensions), while 74 will face minor disciplinary measures (sixty-nine pay reductions and five warnings).
As a result, only 18 out of the 142 teachers subject to disciplinary action will receive severe disciplinary measures, with the proportion of minor disciplinary actions reaching 87.3%.
Previously, in an audit report released in February, the Board of Audit and Inspection found that 249 public and private school teachers nationwide had provided mock exam questions to private education companies between 2018 and 2023, receiving approximately 21.3 billion won in return. Of this, teachers in Seoul accounted for 75% of the total, receiving 16 billion won.
Some teachers not only resold the questions for use in school exams but also formed teams to systematically trade questions. These actions violate Article 64 of the National Public Service Act, which prohibits for-profit work and holding concurrent positions; Article 8 of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, which prohibits the acceptance of money or valuables; and Article 3 of the Act on the Establishment and Operation of Private Teaching Institutes, which restricts private tutoring by teachers.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education determined the level of disciplinary action by considering factors such as whether questions were reused, the scale of transactions, and the degree of involvement. Those who violated the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act will be separately reported to investigative authorities. The office also plans to propose legal amendments to allow disciplinary surcharges to be imposed on private school teachers as well, in order to ensure fairness between public and private school teachers.
Jung Geunsik, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, stated, "This incident is a serious violation that betrays the trust of students and parents and undermines a fair educational environment. We will not tolerate any actions that compromise fairness and accountability, and will strengthen institutional reforms and integrity education to prevent recurrence."
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