'Removed All Makeup'... Lee Jin-suk, Determined to Face the Hearing with 'Sincere Apology'

[Financial News] Amid ongoing controversies over improper authorship and duplicate publication of papers, plagiarism, and illegal and luxurious early overseas education for children, Lee Jin-suk, the candidate for Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, appeared at the confirmation hearing. Known for her glamorous appearance with heavy makeup in the media, she appeared at the hearing with a bare face.

The hearing for Candidate Lee was held on the 16th at the National Assembly Education Committee, where she stated in her opening remarks, "I have worked as an educator at a university for the past 36 years, serving as the president of a regional national university and the chairman of the 'National and Public University Presidents' Council,' constantly contemplating our education," and expressed her determination to "do her best to successfully implement the education policy of the Lee Jae-myung government based on her experiences and reflections."

What explanation Candidate Lee will offer regarding the controversies surrounding her is the biggest focus of the hearing. She is under heavy attack from the opposition for issues including plagiarism in papers she wrote during her professorship.

The biggest controversy is the plagiarism allegations. It is alleged that during her tenure as a professor in the Department of Architectural Engineering at Chungnam National University, she summarized her student's master's and doctoral theses and published them in multiple journals. Moreover, she is accused of listing herself as the 'first author' and taking credit for her student's papers.

According to the verification results released by the 'National Academic Verification Group' (Verification Group), which previously verified the papers of Kim Geon-hee, on the 14th, Candidate Lee published eight papers without disclosing that they were her student's theses, with one having a plagiarism rate of 52%.

Among the two papers published in journals without disclosing that they were her student's theses, the plagiarism rate of 'Evaluation of the Influence of Formative Elements of Patterns Composing Architectural Interior Spaces (2006)' was found to be 56%.

Candidate Lee strongly refuted the plagiarism allegations, stating, "I am the actual author," but the allegations persist as she copied typos from her student's thesis. She is even facing charges of fraud and copyright infringement due to the plagiarism allegations.

However, at the hearing, Candidate Lee explained, "What is being reported in the media now are conclusions reached without understanding the academic situation," and denied the plagiarism allegations. Regarding the paper hijacking controversy, she stated, "Most of the research was conducted as part of national research projects I led as the principal investigator before the students completed their theses," and dismissed the allegations, saying, "It is only natural that I am the first author."

The controversy over early overseas education for her children is also expected to face significant criticism. It has been confirmed that Candidate Lee sent her two children for early overseas education, with her younger daughter going abroad without completing compulsory middle school education, which is a clear violation of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Regarding this, Candidate Lee explained, "The opportunity arose when I stayed in the U.S. as a visiting researcher for a year starting in 2001, and the children strongly wished to study in the U.S.," adding, "My eldest child hoped to study in the U.S. for a very long time, and although I tried to dissuade them, their determination was so strong that I couldn't resist and granted their request."

She further explained, "The second daughter followed her sister who went to study abroad first. (Like the eldest) I only thought about delaying it by a year and a half," adding, "At that time, I didn't even know that going abroad without completing middle school was illegal. Even if I was unaware, it was a big mistake on my part."

There is also a high possibility that the lack of communication and authoritative administration during her tenure as president of Chungnam National University will be mentioned. Candidate Lee is known to have caused controversy within the university by leading the expansion of the medical school's quota and opposing the installation of the comfort woman statue.


bng@fnnews.com Kim Hee-sun Reporter