Abroad
The school’s security alarm went off during the attempted theft.
July 17, 2025, 05:46 PM
A 31-year-old teacher and the 48-year-old parent of a student were arrested following a botched break-in attempt to steal exam papers at a high school in Korea in the wee hours of the morning on Jul. 4.
The duo allegedly gained access to the office where the papers were kept, but fled the scene when the school’s security alarms went off.
They were subsequently arrested, along with a school employee who is believed to have helped them, Korean media reported.
The school has since expelled the 18-year-old student, who was consistently first in her class since she enrolled there, and invalidated all her test scores.
The break-in
Investigators found that the teacher and parent of a third-year student entered the school in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, at around 1:20am on Jul. 4.
The teacher had resigned in February 2024 and is currently working at a different high school in Gyeonggi Province.
Despite no longer being employed by the school, the teacher was able to scan her fingerprints at the entrance and gain access to the building, Korea Joogang Daily reported.
She and the parent headed to the faculty office on the third floor where the exam papers were stored.
However, when they were attempting to steal the tests, they set off the school’s security alarm.
Police arrested the teacher shortly after, and she was detained on Jul. 14 following a pre-trial hearing, South China Morning Post reported.
The parent and the facilities manager were arrested on Jul. 15.
S$18,500 allegedly changed hands
The teacher told investigators that she had helped carry out the thefts since 2023, shortly after the student had started attending the school, Korea Herald reported.
She said that she stole the papers or took photos of them for the parent.
Investigators suspect that the teacher had received 20 million won (S$18,500) from the parent in exchange for the papers over the two-year period, according to Korea Joogang Daily.
Authorities also found that the teacher was providing private tutoring to the student, which is prohibited under Korean law.
The school said that the teacher accessed the premises at least seven times after her resignation, mostly during exam periods.
The duo have been charged with trespassing and business interference.
The facilities manager has been accused of abetting theft and unlawful entry into the school premises.
Top image from Yonhap
