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Education minister nominee apologizes for sending daughter to study in U.S.

Published: 09 Jul. 2025, 17:57

Education Minister nominee Lee Jin-sook speaks to reporters as she arrives at the Korea Institute of Educational Facility Safety in western Seoul on June 30. [YONHAP]

Education Minister nominee Lee Jin-sook, who has caused controversy for suspected academic misconduct, apologized Wednesday for violating a law in the process of sending her child to study abroad at an early age.

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, which stipulates that children who have studied abroad for at least two years may only return to Korean schools if they lived with their parents while overseas, according to the office of Rep. Kim Min-jeon of the opposition People Power Party (PPP).

The daughter's departure to the United States 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 ($730).

Lee, who is an architecture professor at Chungnam National University, made the apology through her confirmation hearing preparation team, saying, “I feel sorry that it does not meet the people's expectations.”

The team also explained that the nominee was not aware of the legal provisions when her second daughter was studying abroad.

Other PPP lawmakers have also raised allegations of academic misconduct by Lee, including possible plagiarism involving a thesis written by her student and duplicate publication of her own research work.

Lee's team said she plans to offer explanations regarding all the allegations at her parliamentary confirmation hearing slated for July 16.

Yonhap