Seoul: Education Minister nominee Lee Jin-sook has issued an apology regarding allegations that she unlawfully sent her daughter to study abroad at an early age. However, she has firmly denied allegations of academic plagiarism.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee's second daughter, who is currently 33 years old, was sent to study in the United States in 2007 while in her third year of middle school. This move allegedly violated the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which mandates compulsory education up to middle school. During her confirmation hearing, Lee expressed her "sincere apologies" but stressed that she was unaware her actions were in violation of the law at that time.
Legally, her daughter's departure to the U.S. would have been permissible if at least one parent had accompanied her, but both Lee and her husband remained in their home country. The law stipulates a penalty for violations, which can include a fine of less than 1 million won (approximately US$730).
In addressing concerns about the high costs associated with her daughters' overseas education, Lee clarified that both she and her husband, who worked as professors at private universities, had "saved diligently." She disclosed that around 2006, she provided about 30 million won per child annually to cover tuition and boarding expenses.
Lee is believed to have spent over 1 billion won on her daughters' education abroad, with her reported assets totaling 4.3 billion won. In response to allegations of academic plagiarism, Lee argued that media reports were based on a misinterpretation of the academic context. A review by Chungnam National University, conducted when she was appointed president, indicated a plagiarism rate of less than 10 percent.
Furthermore, Lee rejected claims that she took undue credit for her students' theses. She explained that graduate students' theses are often part of government-funded or professor-secured projects, and it is standard for supervising professors to be listed as the first author. Despite calls from some opposition lawmakers for her resignation, Lee maintained that, throughout her 36-year career as a scholar, she has "never done anything to deserve such criticism."