Image: Analysis of Kim Geon-hee's masters degree dissertation that shows plagiarized material in red. Credit: Sookmyung University Democratic Alumni Association.
From the very beginning of her husband’s presidency, First Lady Kim Geon-hee 김건희 영부인 and her extensive resume of academic fraud and white-collar crimes have eroded Yoon Suk-yeol 윤석열’s popularity. Few master’s theses or doctoral dissertations have received as much attention as Kim’s - though Yoon built his own career when he brought a similar degree of scrutiny to bear on former Justice Minister Cho Kuk 조국 전 법무부장관 based on allegations that his wife had forged service certificates for his children’s college applications. The scandal that ensued led to Cho’s children’s college degrees being revoked.
Kim’s dissertations were clearly plagiarized and their contents were patently ridiculous at any rate. (See previous coverage, “First Lady’s Plagiarism Charges.”) Her doctoral dissertation, for example, discussed phrenology in couples pairing, arguing a man with coarse hair matches well with a woman with a large mouth and a bald man, with a woman with a prominent chin. Even so, Kookmin University 국민대학교 - which awarded Kim’s Ph.D - claimed that there was nothing improper about the dissertation or Kim’s defense, inspiring some alumni to return their diplomas in protest.
Sookmyung Women’s University 숙명여자대학교 showed more backbone. The university, which awarded Kim a master’s degree, has dragged out its internal investigation of Kim’s work for more than two years. But in June 2024, the university elected Mun Si-yeon 문시연 as its new president, based largely on Mun’s pledge to investigate the issue thoroughly.
In January, Sookmyung’s Research Ethics Committee issued its conclusion that Kim’s master’s dissertation was indeed plagiarized. Kim did not challenge the committee’s decision to revoke her degree, which became final as of February 12. With Kim’s master’s degree gone, Kookmin is likely to revisit the doctorate it awarded Kim, whose lack of a degree would have made her ineligible to apply for a Ph.D. program.
