Kookmin University says it never received an official directive from the Education ministry to take measures to review (the new first lady) Kim Gon-hee's faculty appointment. Publicly, she had vaguely admitted that her curriculum vitae contained various misrepresentations of her academic experience and awards. It's been several months since the issue was raised publicly concerning her qualifications to teach. Her Ph.D. thesis is also alleged to be plagiarized but the university appears to have taken no investigative action on that so far. The university previously had announced a schedule for a faculty ethics committee review to take place with results to be announced in February. So far there is no word from the university about what actions it will take, they appear to be just "holding out" until Yoon takes office. An anonymous source said he couldn't discuss details but that the university has a "plan." After May 10 they can probably safely dismiss the whole episode.
A gallop poll has shown that president elect Yoon's favorability rating has fallen to 42 percent with a 45 percent disapproval rating. He hasn't even taken office yet. One of the top reasons is his slate of cabinet appointments. They seem to be long standing cronies. Some allegedly have ethical or corruption issues. Interestingly, 25 percent of the 42 percent couldn't or wouldn't identify a reason why they support Yoon (the misogynist crowd?). Most of Yoon's support comes from the 18 to 29 year old age group and those over 60. Most people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s disapprove of Yoon except in the traditionally conservative Daegu region. Will the democrats be able to recover support in the Seoul metropolitan area? Municipal and local elections take place in early June.
The democratic party's aim to reform the functions and organization of prosecution offices in South Korea appears to be foundering. Without a filibuster proof majority they are being forced to make compromises with the PPP assembly members which seem designed to carry on with the status quo and postpone or delay changes to prosecution powers as long as possible. Politically motivated and vindictive investigations and indictments on journalists and politicians who oppose Yoon Seok-yeol can be expected to continue. One political pundit the blog follows uses the term subak (watermelon) to describe the approximately 60 democratic assembly members who lack enthusiasm for prosecution reforms. The term is equivalent of DINO referring to superficial democrats here in the US. It is a contraction that refers to "licking the watermelon skin style" or "superficially" democratic. At this point a politician is going to be wary of publicly opposing prosecution interests unless they have an absolutely squeaky clean record. Even if they and their family members don't have any ethical or criminal violations in their history, they could be still be targeted for investigation and prosecution.
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