President Yoon Suk Yeol and first girl Kim Keon Hee throughout their state go to to the Netherlands on Dec. 12, 2023 / Yonhap
Kookmin College plans to evaluation the revocation of first girl Kim Keon Hee’s doctorate after Sookmyung Ladies’s College not too long ago concluded that her grasp’s thesis includes plagiarism.
A Kookmin College official advised the Hankook Ilbo on Tuesday that the establishment would deliberate the standing of Kim’s doctorate if Sookmyung Ladies’s College formally nullifies her grasp’s diploma.
“If Sookmyung finalizes the cancellation of her diploma primarily based on their findings, Kookmin College will convene to evaluation the validity of her doctorate,” mentioned Lee Eun-hyung, the college’s exterior affairs director.
If Kim’s grasp’s diploma is revoked, it could remove the {qualifications} required for her doctorate, making a evaluation unavoidable. Below Kookmin College’s graduate college laws, a grasp’s diploma or equal educational credentials are required to enroll in a doctoral program.
The choice on Kim’s doctorate lies with the Kookmin College Graduate College Committee, which is tasked with figuring out the result. The method begins with the dean of the Graduate College of Techno Design convening a gathering to suggest the matter to the committee. This committee, which incorporates division heads and 5 or extra members appointed by the college president, makes choices by way of majority votes.
Nonetheless, Kookmin College can not proceed with deliberations until Sookmyung Ladies’s College first cancels Kim’s grasp’s diploma. Even when the plagiarism ruling is finalized, some consultants recommend it might not result in precise diploma cancellation.
The Sookmyung College Analysis Ethics and Integrity Committee concluded its two-year investigation in late December, ruling Kim’s thesis as plagiarism. They’ve since notified Kim and the unique whistleblower.
Until both get together appeals inside 30 days, the ruling will stand. Primarily based on this determination, the ethics committee might advocate sanctions, together with retracting or amending the thesis and notifying associated journals, or canceling the diploma.
Complicating issues is a 1999 regulation from Sookmyung, which solely addressed doctorate diploma cancellations for actions damaging the college’s repute. This clause was revised in 2010 to incorporate all levels, however retroactive enforcement shouldn’t be assured.
Sookmyung officers mentioned they plan to deliberate on the applicability of the revised guidelines as soon as the plagiarism verdict is finalized.
Observers are skeptical about Kookmin College’s willingness to revoke Kim’s doctorate, citing its previous actions. In 2022, the college reviewed 4 of Kim’s educational papers, together with her doctoral dissertation, and concluded that three didn’t represent analysis misconduct.
The fourth was deemed inappropriate for analysis, sparking criticism for leniency. Notably, her dissertation contained errors, together with the mistranslation of „membership retention“ as „member Yuji,“ with „Yuji“ being the Romanized Korean time period for „retention.“Nonetheless, the college dismissed these as minor flaws.
Kookmin College Chairman Kim Ji-yong, who was chosen as a witness for parliamentary audits concerning Kim’s plagiarism allegations in 2022, prevented attendance for 3 consecutive years, citing abroad journeys.
Relating to the opportunity of re-examining Kim’s doctoral dissertation, Lee Eun-hyung mentioned, “There is no such thing as a risk of a re-review.”
This text from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Instances, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Instances.
