Book "Wise Parents Keep a Proper Distance" Promoted as Written by Prestigious U.S. University Graduate Earlier This Year
Controversy Over False Credentials Emerges Online
"No Evidence of Author's Enrollment or Thesis Found"
Publisher Apologizes: "Verification Was Insufficient"
News of Author's Passing Reported on the Evening of June 10
On June 10, controversy erupted over the false credentials of Minji Kim, author of the book "Wise Parents Keep a Proper Distance," published earlier this year. Later that evening, news of Minji Kim's obituary was reported, further fueling confusion. Gilbut Publishing had issued an apology regarding the controversy and announced plans for legal action.
The obituary was delivered late on June 10 via a mobile funeral notice. The sender was Minji Kim's spouse, identified as Mr. Kim, who shared the news of his wife's passing through his social networking service (SNS) account. The funeral was held at a university hospital funeral hall in Seoul. When contacted by this newspaper, the funeral hall confirmed, "The memorial for the late Minji Kim has been prepared. The chief mourner is indeed Mr. Kim."
Previously, Minji Kim claimed to have attended a prestigious American university when she published "Wise Parents Keep a Proper Distance" with Gilbut Publishing earlier this year. However, suspicions arose regarding the authenticity of her academic background. It was found that there was no evidence she had attended renowned universities such as Harvard University or UCLA, and although she claimed to have earned a doctoral degree, no thesis could be found. After these suspicions surfaced online, Minji Kim deleted her actively managed SNS accounts and disappeared from public view. It is also reported that she closed her offline counseling office.
The endorsements from professors at prestigious American universities, which had been used to promote the book, were also revealed to be fabricated. Those who were said to have written the endorsements reportedly denied any involvement.
In a subsequent statement, Gilbut Publishing said, "Regardless of the reasons or circumstances, we acknowledge and take responsibility for the fact that our process for verifying the author's credentials and career history was insufficient, and that we failed to question the authenticity of the endorsements." The company added, "Sales of the book have been immediately halted, and we are working as quickly as possible to recall copies distributed to bookstores."
Additionally, the publisher explained that before signing the publishing contract, they had attempted to verify the author's credentials and academic degrees through Google Scholar and LinkedIn but could not find any information. They assumed this was because the author used her English name. They also stated that, after confirming that she had given lectures at institutions such as the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, they believed those institutions had conducted their own verification procedures.
The publisher further explained that the endorsements had been submitted directly by the author. They added that, given her positive social reputation, they did not suspect the possibility of falsehoods.
This incident has sparked discussion in the publishing industry about the need for more thorough verification of authors' credentials, as well as the difficulties involved in confirming their authenticity.
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