Honam University is under investigation by South Korean immigration authorities over allegations it admitted international students using falsified graduation credentials from an unaccredited US institution, according to local media reports Thursday.
A total of 112 Chinese nationals were reportedly enrolled as third-year students in the Gwangju-based university’s four-year program in August 2025, with their admission and issuance of D-2 student visas based on certificates from a US college that had lost accreditation in the mid-2000s.
Investigators declined to explain why it thought the documents, as well as the apostilles, had been forged, because the investigation was ongoing.
In a phone call with The Korea Herald, a university official confirmed the ongoing investigation, but said that the school could not verify whether the documents were forged, claiming a lack of authority to authenticate such records.
The students initially entered Korea on D-4 non-degree training visas and switched to D-2 student visas upon enrollment. The change allowed them to extend their stay through the completion of their studies.
By submitting the diplomas, the students were also able to shorten the time required to complete their degree programs to as little as one to two years.
Suspecting that the case's scale extends beyond a simple administrative oversight, the Ministry of Justice launched an investigation into the university in January.
Most of the students left Korea after the probe began and have not returned for the spring semester, which started in March, complicating in-person investigations.
Authorities also found that more than five students who had enrolled earlier used falsified documents. Their visas were revoked and they have since been deported.
“Students may also have been deceived by parties impersonating accredited US educational institutions. At this stage, the university is still working to determine the exact circumstances of the case,” the school official said.
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