Police Launch Full Investigation into Han Dong-hoon's 'Thesis Ghostwriting' Allegation... Assigned to Seoul Police Agency

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Division Assignment

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Gyumin] The police have launched an investigation into the accusation of "ghostwriting of the eldest daughter’s thesis" involving Han Dong-hoon, the nominee for Minister of Justice.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, on the 16th, the police announced that the case in which Han, his spouse, and eldest daughter were reported for charges including obstruction of business by deception and violation of copyright law has been assigned to the Anti-Corruption and Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Han’s eldest daughter is suspected of receiving expensive goods sponsored by a company and donating them to a welfare center to build credentials for university admission. Furthermore, in February, the document information of a thesis registered on SSRN included the name of a ghostwriter from Kenya, raising suspicions of "thesis ghostwriting."

In response, on the 8th, civic groups such as the Minsheng Economy Research Institute and the Reform National Movement Headquarters submitted a complaint to the National Police Agency’s National Investigation Headquarters regarding the allegations of "ghostwriting of the eldest daughter’s thesis" and "plagiarism of the eldest daughter’s international academic conference thesis." Subsequently, on the 9th, the Citizens’ Action for Judicial Justice (Sasehaeng) filed a complaint against Han and his spouse for obstruction of business and copyright law violations with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, which then transferred the case to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.