Allegations of Thesis Plagiarism and Illegal Early Overseas Study Lead to Lee Jinsook's Withdrawal
First Ministerial Nominee Dropped Under the Lee Jaemyung Administration... Kang Sunwoo, Accused of Abuse of Power, Set for Appointment
President Lee Opts for a Compromise... Opposition Criticizes as "A Direct Challenge to Public Expectations"
On July 20, President Lee Jaemyung's decision to withdraw the nomination of Lee Jinsook, the Minister of Education nominee, marks the first case of a ministerial candidate being dropped since the launch of the new administration. This move is seen as an attempt to prevent a weakening of the administration's momentum by appearing to accept the demands of the opposition. By opting for a withdrawal of the nomination rather than a voluntary resignation, President Lee is also emphasizing the symbolism of a decisive action, akin to the "Eupcham Masok" approach. Additionally, this decision seems intended to partially offset the burden surrounding the appointment of Kang Sunwoo, the Minister of Gender Equality and Family nominee, who is facing similarly strong negative public opinion.
When first nominated, Lee Jinsook had raised expectations for educational reform as the first female president of a regional national university. However, she became embroiled in controversy due to various allegations that surfaced before and after her confirmation hearing. The most significant controversy involved academic ethics. Allegations emerged that she had plagiarized or misappropriated her students' theses during her tenure as a professor, and that she had published the same paper multiple times in academic journals. These issues raised questions about her research ethics and qualifications as a candidate.
Additionally, controversy over her child's illegal early overseas study dealt a major blow to her perceived integrity. It was revealed that Lee Jinsook violated domestic elementary and secondary education laws when she sent her child to study in the United States at an early age, damaging her credibility as a high-ranking official responsible for educational policy. Although she explained that she was unaware of the relevant regulations, this explanation was met with public skepticism and failed to quell the controversy. As concerns grew both inside and outside the education sector regarding the plagiarism and early study issues, not only the opposition but also some within the ruling party and political allies such as the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union demanded her resignation, increasing the pressure. In particular, during the confirmation hearing on July 16, she was criticized by ruling party lawmakers for her lack of understanding of key education policy issues, which further fueled debate over her qualifications.
In response, President Lee made the decision as the appointing authority to directly withdraw Lee Jinsook's nomination. However, as this marks the first minister-level nominee to be dropped since the new administration took office, criticism of flaws in the personnel vetting process seems unavoidable. Nevertheless, the fact that the president chose to withdraw the nomination rather than accept a voluntary resignation can also be interpreted as a willingness to take responsibility by actively replacing problematic personnel. Given that Lee Jinsook was a personally recommended candidate, this bold decision to remove her can be seen as an effort to partially accept criticism from the opposition and public opinion, while maintaining the momentum of government operations.
President Lee Chooses a 'Compromise,' Pushes Ahead with Kang Sunwoo's Appointment
President Lee has decided to push ahead with the appointment of Kang Sunwoo. Although Kang, a current member of the National Assembly, participated in the confirmation hearing, she faced significant difficulties due to allegations of abuse of power. There were reports that she had her aides perform personal household chores, leading to accusations of "aide abuse," and her explanations were found to be inconsistent with the facts, resulting in further criticism for providing false explanations. On top of this, additional allegations surfaced that she violated COVID-19 prevention guidelines by visiting a hospital and demanding special treatment during the height of the pandemic. The negative public opinion surrounding Kang Sunwoo was as intense as that faced by Lee Jinsook. Some aides from the Democratic Party, to which Kang belongs, even called for her nomination to be withdrawn, reflecting internal criticism.
Nonetheless, the presidential office's decision to stand by Kang Sunwoo is seen as the result of several practical considerations. First, her status as a sitting lawmaker from the ruling party is regarded as a key factor. The Lee Jaemyung administration, which launched hastily without a transition committee, appointed several sitting lawmakers to the first cabinet to secure policy momentum. In fact, as many as eight ruling party lawmakers joined the first cabinet, aiming for stable governance through close party-government cooperation. Concerns were raised that if Kang Sunwoo were also dropped, this personnel policy could be undermined, and future lawmakers might be reluctant to join the cabinet. Although Woo Sangho, Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs, stated in a briefing on July 20 that "whether or not the nominee is a sitting lawmaker is not a major consideration," the decision to retain Kang Sunwoo appears to be a strategic choice to prevent unrest within the ruling party and to maintain the overall personnel principles.
For President Lee, giving up multiple nominees could have posed an even greater threat to the administration's ability to govern. Withdrawing both the Education and Gender Equality and Family Minister nominees would have delayed the formation of the new cabinet, directly weakening the momentum of the new government. Therefore, by decisively letting go of Lee Jinsook to accommodate the opposition's demands, but pushing ahead with Kang Sunwoo's appointment, the administration appears to be aiming to minimize cabinet vacancies and avoid disruptions to its policy agenda.
People Power Party Criticizes President Lee's Compromise as a "Direct Challenge to Public Expectations"
The ruling Democratic Party expressed respect for President Lee's decision as the appointing authority, but the People Power Party continued to demand the withdrawal of Kang Sunwoo's nomination, whom they also labeled as an "unfit candidate" alongside Lee Jinsook. In an official statement, the People Power Party criticized, "Is protecting close aides and making appointments as rewards for loyalty what Lee Jaemyung-style pragmatism is all about?" They pointed out that the president protected those considered close aides to the end, while dismissing those with fewer personal ties.
Park Sunghoon, Senior Spokesperson for the People Power Party, stated in a commentary, "President Lee has effectively pushed ahead with the appointment of Kang Sunwoo, who provoked public outrage with her abuse of power and false explanations," adding, "This is an act of arrogance and self-righteousness by the Lee Jaemyung administration and a direct challenge to public expectations." He further questioned, "Was the president afraid of tarnishing Kang Sunwoo, who has been fiercely loyal to him, with the disgrace of being the first sitting lawmaker to be dropped?" He continued, "Protecting loyal aides while cutting ties with those he did not personally recommend is a double standard that amounts to cronyism, far removed from public expectations."
Park also emphasized, "An even more serious issue is that this sends the wrong signal to National Assembly aides and the public that 'this level of abuse of power must be tolerated,'" arguing, "This is not only a serious case of secondary harm and a personnel failure, but also an insult to the people, amounting to a personnel disaster."
The political burden of pushing ahead with Kang Sunwoo's appointment despite unresolved negative public opinion is expected to remain with President Lee and the ruling party. Woo, the Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs, stated, "President Lee has listened carefully to a variety of opinions and has deliberated deeply. On July 19, he met with Kim Byungki, the Democratic Party's floor leader, and Song Eonseok, the interim leader and floor leader of the People Power Party, to listen to various perspectives." He added that since the president made his decision after careful consideration of diverse opinions, he urges the National Assembly to take swift follow-up action.
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