Korean education minister nominee apologizes over allegations of daughter's unlawful study abroad
Education Minister nominee Lee Jin-sook apologized Wednesday over allegations of unlawfully sending her daughter to study abroad at an early age, but denied allegations of academic plagiarism, Yonhap reports.
Lee's second daughter, now 33, was sent to study in the United States in 2007, when she was in her third year of middle school, in violation of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that stipulates compulsory education up to middle school.
During her confirmation hearing, Lee said she was "sincerely sorry" but emphasized that she was not aware at the time that her actions violated the law.
Her daughter's departure to the U.S. could have been legal if at least one of her parents had accompanied her abroad. But the minister nominee and her husband were both staying at home at that time.
Violators of the law are subject to a fine of less than 1 million won (US$730).
Regarding the suspected high costs of her daughters' overseas education, Lee explained that she and her husband had worked as professors at private universities and had "saved diligently."
The nominee said she provided approximately 30 million won per child per year around 2006 to cover tuition and boarding school expenses.
Lee is believed to have spent over 1 billion won on her daughters' education abroad. Her reported assets amount to 4.3 billion won.
Responding to allegations of academic plagiarism, Lee claimed that the media reports were based on a misunderstanding of the academic context.
She said a review conducted by Chungnam National University at the time of her appointment as president found a plagiarism rate of less than 10 percent.
The nominee also refuted allegations that she took credit for her students' theses. She explained that graduate students' theses are typically conducted as part of government-funded projects or projects secured by the supervising professor, and that it is natural for her to be listed as the first author on those theses.
Some opposition lawmakers have called on her to resign as nominee, but Lee claimed that she has "never done anything to deserve such criticism during her 36 years as a scholar."
Eralier, South Korea’s gender minister nominee has apologized for using her aides to do personal chores.