Top Tax Accountant Wonseok Han Confesses to AI Cheating... Also Acknowledged in Certified Public Accountant Exam

Han Won-seok, the top scorer of this year’s 63rd Certified Tax Accountant exam, confessed to committing cheating using artificial intelligence (AI) and electronic devices and turned himself in to the police. In a video released on the YouTube channel of lawyer Lee Don-ho on the 15th, Han revealed his real name and said, ″I cheated on the Certified Tax Accountant exam. I sincerely apologize for causing harm to many people due to my wrongdoing.″ He added, ″I cheated on both the first and second parts of the Certified Tax Accountant exam using electronic devices and generative AI,″ and disclosed that he used the same method on the first part of the Certified Public Accountant exam. Han explained, ″I committed cheating by taking pictures of exam questions using a miniature camera, sending them to AI, and checking the answers on a smartphone.″ He also stated that he submitted a written confession detailing all his actions to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and plans to provide the remaining evidence and devices to the investigative authorities. Han’s confession was received at the civil affairs office of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the same day, and the case was assigned to the Metropolitan Investigation Unit of the Seoul Police. The police plan to conduct a swift and strict investigation according to procedures. Earlier, Han ranked first in both the first and second parts of the Certified Tax Accountant exam held in April and July, respectively. He scored 397.5 out of 400 on the first exam and 663 out of 800 on the second. Suspicions of cheating arose among active tax accountants and others, who pointed out that achieving such high scores within the limited time was impossible. Initially denying the allegations, Han later admitted to lying in his success story and interviews. Meanwhile, according to the Human Resources Development Service of Korea, Han’s exam seat was located in the center of the second row during the first exam and in the center of the first row during the second exam, based on the podium. Two proctors were assigned to the exam room.