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University revokes ex-first lady's master's degree for plagiarized thesis

Published: 24 Jun. 2025, 12:41

LEE TAE-HEE
[email protected]

Kim Keon Hee, wife former President Yoon Suk Yeol [YONHAP]

Sookmyung Women's University announced Tuesday that it had decided to revoke Kim Keon Hee's master's degree, wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, after it confirmed that her thesis had been plagiarized.

The Graduate School of Education committee, from which Kim graduated with a master's, held a meeting on Monday and decided to revoke her degree. The decision follows one made by the university's research integrity committee last week, which also agreed to revoke Kim's degree, deeming it a case of serious and clear misconduct.

Kim received her master’s degree from Sookmyung Women's University's Graduate School of Education in 1999. Her thesis on the artistic characteristics of painter Paul Klee was under scrutiny for plagiarism, with the university concluding in February that Kim plagiarized between 48.1 percent and 54.9 percent.

"The decision was made to strengthen research ethics and enhance academic integrity," said Sookmyung Women's University in a press release on Tuesday. "We will continue to faithfully fulfill our responsibilities as a university."

BY LEE TAE-HEE [[email protected]]