National Assembly Education Committee Raises Allegation of Preferential Treatment in Professor Appointment
The police have officially begun investigating former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min’s daughter, Yoo Dam, regarding allegations of preferential treatment in her appointment as a professor at Incheon National University. This issue was previously addressed during a National Assembly inspection by the Education Committee last October.
According to reports from Yonhap News and others on the 10th, Incheon Police have assigned the case involving Professor Yoo’s appointment to the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crime Investigation Unit and have initiated an investigation. Due to the importance of the matter, the investigation, previously handled by the Yeonsu Police Station, was transferred to the Incheon Police’s Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit.
On the 4th, a complaint was filed at the Yeonsu Police Station accusing Incheon National University President Lee In-jae, the faculty office’s HR team, hiring committee members, and personnel managing recruitment records of violating the Public Records Management Act. The complainant claimed that Yoo’s hiring process was unfair.
Yoo Dam was appointed as a professor in the Department of International Trade at the Global College of International Studies at Incheon National University after passing the recruitment for full-time faculty in the second semester of this year. However, there was controversy regarding whether the hiring process was fair, which was also discussed during the National Assembly’s Education Committee inspection in October.
Representative Jin Sun-mee from the Democratic Party raised questions during the inspection of Incheon National University, asking, “Was sufficient verification of research experience conducted given that she was appointed a professor only two months after receiving her doctorate?” She also pointed out that “the criteria for evaluating academic background and experience are unclear.”
In contrast, Incheon National University maintains that the review was conducted fairly according to internal guidelines and standards. President Lee In-jae stated during the inspection that “the hiring of Professor Yoo Dam followed just and proper procedures as per the regulations.”
Meanwhile, Cho Kuk, former representative of the National Revolutionary Party, mentioned the preferential treatment allegation on his Facebook on October 31st, stating, “It is not easy for a young researcher who acquired a Ph.D. just six months ago to be appointed as a professor at a national university, surpassing an expert in international marketing who has written six SSCI papers.” He urged, “Yoo Seung-min, who has been forthright on all issues, should directly explain this matter.”