Reinvestigation of 'Kim Geon-hee Thesis' That Heated Up the National Audit... Yoo Eun-hye: "Will Handle According to Principles"

Kookmin University's Justification is 'Statute of Limitations'... Investigation Plan Must Be Submitted by October 8
Yoo Eun-hye Emphasizes Handling According to Principle of "Abolishing Statute of Limitations for 2011 Thesis Verification"
On the Same Day, Kookmin University Alumni Return Diplomas and Urge School for Investigation

Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs Yoo Eun-hye attended the National Assembly's Education Committee hearing on the Ministry of Education and other agencies held at the National Assembly on the 1st, responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] At the Ministry of Education’s National Assembly audit, the thesis of Kim Geon-hee, wife of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol, at Kookmin University was the clear focal point. There was a surge of demands for the Ministry of Education to conduct a direct investigation into Kookmin University’s decision to forgo verification on the grounds that the statute of limitations for thesis verification had expired.

At the Ministry of Education audit held by the National Assembly’s Education Committee on the 1st, Kang Min-jung, a member of the Open Democratic Party, pointed out, “The Ministry of Education should immediately and directly re-investigate based on Articles 3 and 30 of the Research Ethics Guidelines, instead of requesting Kookmin University to conduct its own investigation,” adding, “There is great public outrage, and Kookmin University has reached its limits in resolving this issue on its own.”

Rep. Kang also stated that under Article 29, Paragraph 1 of the “Guidelines for Securing Research Ethics,” the Ministry of Education has the obligation to receive the preliminary investigation report conducted by Kookmin University on Kim Geon-hee’s theses. Despite the preliminary investigation results not falling under the non-disclosure reasons stipulated by the Information Disclosure Act, Kookmin University did not disclose any details of the preliminary investigation.

Guidelines for Ensuring Research Ethics (Source: Office of Assemblyman Kang Min-jung)

Earlier, when plagiarism allegations arose regarding Kim’s doctoral thesis, Kookmin University formed a preliminary investigation committee in July and announced the results last month. The main point was that they would not conduct a full investigation because the statute of limitations had expired. In response, the Ministry of Education sent an official letter to Kookmin University on the 17th of last month, ordering the submission of a re-investigation plan for Kim’s theses by October 8. This was based on the fact that the Ministry of Education abolished the statute of limitations for verification in 2011, making Kookmin University’s decision contradictory.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye responded to Rep. Kang’s inquiry by saying, “We will take follow-up measures according to the principles and procedures applied in other cases.”

Kim received her doctoral degree in 2008 from Kookmin University’s Graduate School of Techno Design with a thesis titled “Development Research of Fortune-telling Content Using Avatars: Focusing on the Development and Market Application of ‘Anita.’” The university’s Research Ethics Committee also reviewed three papers she published in external academic journals during her enrollment but judged that additional investigation was impossible due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.

Kim’s 2007 academic paper published in the “Korea Design Forum,” titled “A Study on User Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction of Online Fortune-telling Content and Its Effect on Membership Retention and Withdrawal,” sparked controversy for rendering the Korean phrase “회원 유지” (membership retention) as “member Yuji” in English.

Official letter requesting the establishment of a reinvestigation plan sent by the Ministry of Education to Kookmin University (Source: Office of Assemblywoman Kang Min-jung)

Verification work is also underway for the other papers published to meet the requirements for the doctoral degree.

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

Rep. Do said, “Our office compiled the plagiarism allegations raised so far and requested the Korea Design Trend Society to verify misconduct in the two papers,” and added, “It is an act that destroys academic authority for Kookmin University to refuse verification citing the statute of limitations. I urge the Ministry of Education to firmly communicate its position so that Kookmin University properly submits its investigation plan by the 8th.”

In response, 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 statute of limitations,” adding, “I think the review of the three academic papers should be included when reporting Kookmin University’s action plan.”

On the 1st, the National University Alumni Emergency Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Emergency Committee) urged the school to expedite the review of Kim Geon-hee's thesis by returning their diplomas and calling for a reinvestigation of the thesis. (Photo by National University Alumni Emergency Committee)

On the same day, the Kookmin University Alumni Emergency Committee for Urging the Review of Kim Geon-hee’s Thesis (hereafter the Emergency Committee), composed of Kookmin University alumni, returned about 200 diplomas to the school, demanding a re-examination of the thesis of Kim Geon-hee, wife of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol.

At the press conference, one graduate criticized, “If the thesis review is not completed to the end, it would be better for Kookmin University to disband and close its doors to preserve its honor,” adding, “How can a university that pursues truth award a doctorate by fabricating a thesis?”