[2021 National Audit] Yoo Eun-hye "Take Action on Kim Gun-hee and Lee Jae-myung's Thesis Allegations According to Principles" (Comprehensive)

Demand for Verification of Kim Geon-hee and Lee Jae-myung's Thesis Allegations Floods Ministry of Education Audit
"Ministry Must Directly Reinvestigate Kim Geon-hee's Thesis at Kookmin University"
"Investigate Lee Jae-myung's Master's Thesis Plagiarism Allegations at Gachon University"
Yoo Eun-hye: "No Exceptions to Abolishing Research Ethics Verification Time Limits"

Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs Yoo Eun-hye attended the National Assembly's education committee's audit of the Ministry of Education held at the National Assembly on the 1st and received a report from the Ministry of Education officials before the audit began. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] At the Ministry of Education's national audit session, ruling coalition lawmakers demanded a re-investigation by the Ministry of Education into the doctoral dissertation allegations against Kim Geon-hee, wife of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol. The opposition party raised their voices to also verify the master's thesis of Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, from Gachon University.

On the 1st, Kang Min-jung, a member of the National Assembly's Education Committee from the Open Democratic Party, said at the audit session, "Judging by the attitude of Kookmin University, I believe they will drag out the issue ambiguously. Public outrage is high, and Kookmin University has reached its limits in resolving this on its own," adding, "Instead of requesting an internal investigation from Kookmin University, the Ministry of Education should immediately and directly re-investigate based on Articles 3 and 30 of the Research Ethics Guidelines."

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye stated, "We will take follow-up measures according to the principles and procedures applied in other cases."

After plagiarism allegations were raised regarding Kim's doctoral dissertation, Kookmin University formed a preliminary investigation committee in July and announced last month that they would not conduct a full investigation due to the expiration of the verification period. In response, the Ministry of Education began verifying whether the matter was handled according to research ethics guidelines and sent an official letter requesting notification of the investigation plan regarding Kim's thesis misconduct allegations by the 8th.

Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs Yoo Eun-hye is taking the oath as a witness at the National Assembly's Education Committee's audit of the Ministry of Education held at the National Assembly on the 1st. Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

There were also calls for verification of other published papers besides the doctoral dissertation.

Do Jong-hwan, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out, "Among the three papers Kim Geon-hee published to meet the prerequisites for applying for her doctoral degree, two were published in issues 16 and 17 of the academic journal Korean Design Forum," adding, "According to the research ethics regulations of the Korean Design Trend Society, there is no statute of limitations on research ethics, and a research ethics committee must be convened."

Do said, "Our office compiled the plagiarism allegations raised so far and requested the Korean Design Trend Society to verify misconduct in the two papers," adding, "It is an act that destroys academic authority for Kookmin University to refuse verification citing the expiration of the verification period, and I urge the Ministry of Education to firmly convey its position so that Kookmin University can properly submit its investigation plan by the 8th."

In response, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo said, "Kookmin University's Research Ethics Committee also reviewed the three academic papers and decided on September 8 not to conduct additional investigations due to the expiration of the verification period," adding, "I think the review of the three academic papers should be included when reporting Kookmin University's action plan."

Yoo added, "Since this is a very important matter, we judged that establishing research ethics is important enough to abolish the statute of limitations and will handle it strictly."

Jeong Kyung-hee, a member of the People Power Party, inquired whether there are plans to verify the plagiarism allegations regarding Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province's master's thesis from Gachon University.

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo explained, "The statute of limitations for research ethics verification has been abolished, and there can be no exceptions," adding, "From 2014 to 2016, Gachon University's Research Ethics Committee made judgments on this thesis and proceeded with administrative procedures requesting degree cancellation at the Graduate School of Public Administration."

She continued, "First, it is necessary to confirm the facts regarding the administrative procedures conducted by the school and verify the school's position, and we will request Gachon University's stance on this," adding, "Once Gachon University sends their position, we plan to take follow-up measures accordingly."