Sookmyung Women's University Revokes Kim Geon-hee's Master's Thesis

Sookmyung Women's University has decided to revoke the master's thesis of Kim Geon-hee, the wife of former President Yoon Suk-yeol. Following this decision, Kookmin University, where Kim obtained her doctoral degree, has initiated procedures to cancel her doctoral thesis as well.

On June 24, Sookmyung announced that the Graduate School Committee reviewed a request from the university's Research Ethics Integrity Committee and concluded that Kim's master's degree should be revoked in accordance with university regulations. This decision comes three years after allegations of plagiarism regarding Kim's thesis surfaced in 2021, prompting the university to begin an investigation in 2022.

Kim submitted her thesis titled "A Study on the Characteristics of Paul Klee's Paintings" to Sookmyung's Graduate School of Education in 1999, earning a master's degree in art education. The university faced criticism for not disclosing the investigation's results for three years, leading to accusations of a 'blackout investigation.' It wasn't until January of this year, when the impeachment process against former President Yoon began, that the university confirmed the thesis was plagiarized and notified Kim. Reports indicate that she has not expressed any intention to contest the decision.

Kookmin University also released a statement on the same day, announcing that it has begun the process to revoke Kim's doctoral degree. The university explained that under the Higher Education Act, eligibility for admission to a doctoral program requires possession of a master's degree, and if the master's degree is revoked, the eligibility for the doctoral program is lost. Kim received her doctoral degree in 2008 from Kookmin's Graduate School of Techno-Design with a thesis titled "Research on the Development of Fortune Content Using Avatars: Focusing on the Development and Market Application of 'Anita.'" The Graduate School of Techno-Design is expected to convene soon to review and decide on the matter regarding Kim's doctoral degree.