Recently, Kim Min-sik, the nominee for South Korea's prime minister, has been embroiled in controversy due to his master's degree from Tsinghua University. According to Yonhap News on June 19, Kim publicly released his entry and exit records as well as flight records between China and South Korea from 2009 to 2010 when he pursued a master's degree at Tsinghua University, in order to refute allegations from the opposition party.

Previously, after Lee Jae-myung was elected and assumed office as the President of South Korea, he nominated Kim Min-sik as the candidate for Prime Minister. Kim Min-sik is known in South Korea as a "policy expert" and is also the "strategic leader" of the Democratic Party. He is a core figure of the pro-Lee Jae-myung faction. Kim Min-sik holds an impressive academic background including a bachelor's degree from Seoul National University in sociology, a master's degree in public administration from Harvard Kennedy School, a master's degree in law from Tsinghua University, and a doctorate in law from Rutgers University. However, it was precisely his master's degree in law from Tsinghua University obtained in 2010 that brought him criticism.

Kim Min-sik Yonhap News

Currently, the main opposition People Power Party accused Kim Min-sik of being unable to attend the highest committee meetings of the Democratic Party while studying for a master's degree at Tsinghua University, making it impossible for him to complete the master's program. The People Power Party questioned whether Kim Min-sik obtained his degree through "unconventional means," thereby casting doubt on his personal credibility.

In response, Kim Min-sik posted on social media that he had completed all courses and exams required by Tsinghua University, one of China's top institutions, and attached records of his entries and exits between South Korea and China from February 19, 2005, to January 12, 2018, including flight numbers and duration of stays.

Records of Kim Min-sik's entries and exits between South Korea and China from February 19, 2005, to January 12, 2018. Screenshot from Kim Min-sik's Facebook page.

Kim stated that he was simultaneously pursuing a three-year doctoral program at an American law school and a one-year master's program at Tsinghua Law School. The credits earned at Tsinghua were recognized by the American side. Kim also mentioned that to balance work and studies, he took a Chinese Airline's discounted overnight flight once a week, missing one meeting of the party's highest committee, and long-term rented an economical hotel near the school, staying two or three days each time.

Kim emphasized that Tsinghua University does not grant degrees easily. He passed the school's assessment by analyzing the issue of North Korean defectors from the perspective of international law and presenting his own insights in his thesis. Kim expressed his hope that the hearing on the appointment of the prime minister would focus on his policies and goals rather than his personal matters.

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Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7517864606048584228/

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