[Asia Economy Reporter Park Sun-mi] Seventy-six professors from Kookmin University issued a statement urging a full investigation into allegations of research misconduct in the doctoral dissertation of Kim Geon-hee, the wife of former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol.
On the 21st, the professors expressed regret over the decision by Kookmin University's preliminary investigation committee to reject a full investigation, citing a strict interpretation of research ethics regulations, and called for a full investigation into the dissertation. They added, "The honor of Kookmin University and its members, including current students, alumni, and faculty, has been severely damaged," and criticized, "The faculty council failed to reach any conclusion in the vote on how to respond to Kim's dissertation, which is deeply disappointing and shameful, and the voting criteria and process were mismanaged, undermining procedural legitimacy."
This statement was released under the names of 76 professors with the consent of Kookmin University faculty. The "Emergency Committee of Kookmin University Alumni Urging Review of Kim Geon-hee's Dissertation," formed by Kookmin University graduates, also welcomed the professors' statement and supported their courageous action, urging a full investigation into Kim's dissertation.
Kim received her doctoral degree in 2008 from Kookmin University's Graduate School of Techno Design with a dissertation titled "Research on Developing Fortune-telling Content Using Avatars: Focusing on the Development and Market Application of 'Anita'." However, controversy arose when it was revealed that this dissertation partially plagiarized her own 2007 thesis and that the Korean title's phrase ‘회원 유지’ was translated into English as ‘member Yuji.’
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