The International Criminal Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said on April 27 that it has sent about 10 former and current instructors and executives of the Pagoda Academy to the prosecution on charges of leaking TOEIC test questions.
ETS, a TOEIC-leading institute, sued Pagoda language institute in July last year because of allegations that its instructors used hidden cameras and recorders to systematically steal TOEIC questions.
According to an email sent by Pagoda's management to its instructors in 2013, it included assigning one instructor per speaking test and sending questions within three hours after the test. The leaked TOEIC issue was also used directly in the lecture the next day.
This is not the first time that an illegal leak of the TOEIC questions has been controversial. In 2012, when the Hackers Language Institute was found to have leaked relevant questions by mobilizing its employees.
The court sentenced Cho, chairman of the Hackers Group, to one year and six months in prison with a probation of three years for violating copyright laws and obstructing business the following year.
This is because it was revealed that between October 2007 and January 2012, the questions of the TEPS test at Seoul National University's Language Education Institute as well as TOEIC, organized by the ETS, were leaked more than 100 times.
Regarding the police investigation, Pagoda said it plans to pay the copyright fee and agree with the ETS, the examiner.
