Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee stripped of master's degree for plagiarism

Sookmyung Women's University has revoked Kim Keon Hee's master's degree following plagiarism allegations, and Kookmin University has also announced that it has begun procedures to revoke her doctorate.

Mr. Yoon Suk Yeol (left) when he was the incumbent President of South Korea and his wife Kim Keon Hee attended an event in Seoul, September 13, 2024 - Photo: Yonhap/TTXVN

On June 24, South Korea's Sookmyung Women's University announced that it had revoked the master's degree of former first lady Kim Keon Hee, after concluding that she plagiarized her thesis.

Sookmyung University said it had launched an investigation into the plagiarism allegations against former first lady Kim in mid-December 2022. After a review period, a committee of the university's graduate education department decided to cancel the master's degree, in order to "establish research ethics and enhance academic reputation."

Ms. Kim, wife of ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol, earned a master's degree from Sookmyung University based on a thesis submitted in 1999.

Immediately after Sookmyung University's announcement, Kookmin University also announced that it had begun procedures to revoke Ms. Kim's doctorate.

Kookmin University cited the Higher Education Act which stipulates that the qualification for admission to a doctoral program is a master's degree and if the master's degree submitted for admission to a doctoral program is revoked, the applicant will be disqualified from the doctoral program.

VNA

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cuu-de-nhat-phu-nhan-quoc-kim-keon-hee-bi-tuoc-bang-thac-si-vi-dao-van-20250624221804071.htm