Graduates in Kim Gun-hee Thesis Verification Lawsuit Demand "Please Submit Meeting Minutes"

First Hearing in Graduates' Compensation Lawsuit
Kookmin University "Decision on Submission to Be Made Through Discussion"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Graduates of Kookmin University who filed a damages lawsuit against the school, claiming that the verification of First Lady Kim Geon-hee's doctoral dissertation was not properly conducted, have demanded the submission of related meeting minutes from the school.

On the 12th, Judge Lee Jun-gu of the Seoul Southern District Court Civil Division 11 held the first hearing of the damages lawsuit filed by the "Kookmin University Alumni Emergency Committee Urging the Review of Kim Geon-hee's Dissertation" against Kookmin Academy.

On this day, the plaintiff's attorney requested the meeting minutes from when Kookmin University decided last year not to proceed with a full investigation into the allegations regarding Kim's dissertation.

In response, the university's attorney stated, "We will clarify whether the minutes exist and whether they can be submitted after consultation."

The graduates also argued that it is necessary to receive the results of the recent reinvestigation into the allegations concerning Kim, but since the results have not yet been announced, this was postponed.

Earlier, in September of last year, Kookmin University conducted a preliminary investigation into allegations of research misconduct related to Kim's doctoral dissertation. They concluded not to proceed with a full investigation, citing that the statute of limitations for verifying research misconduct had expired since the allegations about the 2008 dissertation were raised 13 years later.

However, in October of the same year, the Ministry of Education ordered the school to reinvestigate the allegations against Kim, citing exceptions to the five-year statute of limitations for research verification in the supplementary provisions of Kookmin University's regulations.

In November of last year, the Emergency Committee also filed a mental damages lawsuit against the school at the Seoul Southern District Court, claiming that the graduates' honor was damaged.

Meanwhile, the next hearing is scheduled to be held at 10:30 a.m. on July 7.