Professors arrested for enrolment corruption at South Korean music academy

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency revealed on Monday that more than a dozen professors illegally tutored students to prepare for music entrance exams and gave them high grades on the actual exams, KoreaTimes reported, they have now been handed over to the prosecution and may be charged.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it has handed over 14 music academy professors, an agent and two students' parents to the prosecution on charges of obstructing business, violating the Private Teaching Act and the Anti-Malpractice Act.

The fallen professors include a former dean of Seoul National University (SNU) College of Music, while the students' parents are accused of giving luxury handbags and cash to the professors after their children were admitted to their first choice universities.

From January 2021 to February 2023, the fixers operated unlicensed private tutoring studios in southern Seoul and provided a total of 679 vocal lessons to students preparing for university entrance exams, police said. The 14 professors allegedly colluded with the brokers and received payments worth 130 million won (approximately £73,948) after providing 244 vocal lessons to students, police said. Under current South Korean law, it is illegal for university teachers to offer private lessons. The professors reportedly received between 200,000 and 300,000 won in cash (approximately £113 to £170) each after providing 30 to 60 minutes of tutoring. Five of the professors were found guilty of university admission fraud while serving as examiners for music practice exams at Seoul National University (SNU) College of Music and three other universities.