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Troubles for South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol continue to mount as his wife has been alleged of plagiarising her master's thesis, according to a report in South China Morning Post (SCMP). Sookmyung Women's University started the probe against the First Lady, Kim Keon-hee, in 2022, regarding her dissertation submitted to the institution's graduate school of education in 1999. Ms Kim was accused of falsifying her report and after two years of investigation, the institute has confirmed the allegations.
Notably, the Seoul-based private university presented its report last December with Ms Kim having time until the end of this month to contest the findings. If she appeals, the university will consider her request before finalising the results.
This is not the first time when Ms Kim has made headlines for her dodgy academic credentials. In 2022, Kookmin University gave her a clean chit after a months-long probe into her doctoral dissertation. Additionally, she faces allegations of stock market manipulation as well as interference in election nominations.
Kim Keon-hee's life
Born in 1972, Ms Kim reportedly majored in painting at Kyonggi University before continuing with her master's degree in art education, eventually earning a doctorate in digital content design. Despite the veracity of the degrees, Ms Kim managed to build her way up in the arts and design industry. She worked as an instructor at schools and universities and also founded the cultural content company Covana Contents in 2007.
Ms Kim got married to Mr Yoon in March 2012. In an interview in 2018, Ms Kim revealed she had known Mr Yoon "for a long time" but it was only after a mutual acquaintance suggested they would be a good match that they got married. Ms Kim was 40, and Mr Yoon was 52 when they tied the knot.
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Yoon Suk-yeol in trouble
The controversy could not have come at a worse time for Mr Yoon who is battling for political survival. After Mr Yoon's failed martial law bid threw the country into turmoil, he has holed up in the presidential residence, surrounded by hundreds of loyal security officers. Despite being impeached, Mr Yoon is resisting arrest efforts.
Earlier this week, the anti-graft investigators secured a new court-ordered arrest warrant against Mr Yoon. The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO), which is currently leading the probe into the president, has kept secret the length of the warrant it requested after the initial seven-day one expired.