President Lee Jae-myung's Daughter Embroiled in 'Full Marks for Experience' Hiring Controversy
October 28, 2025 – Allegations of preferential treatment in the appointment of President Lee Jae-myung's daughter, Ms. Lee, as an assistant professor in the Department of Trade at Incheon National University have sparked a heated controversy during a National Assembly Education Committee audit. The situation is further inflamed by comparisons to a past scandal involving Yoo Dam, the daughter of former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min.
During the audit, Representative Jin Sun-mi questioned the fairness of the hiring process, pointing out the many objections to Ms. Lee's appointment as a trade professor at the young age of 31. Ms. Lee graduated from Dongguk University with a law degree and subsequently earned master's and doctoral degrees in business administration from Yonsei and Korea Universities, respectively. Last month, she was appointed as an assistant professor in the Department of Trade at Incheon National University after successfully navigating a highly competitive pool of 23 applicants. Questions have arisen regarding whether the academic and professional experience evaluations were conducted fairly.
Representative Jin also highlighted the fact that Incheon National University employs 290 part-time lecturers holding doctoral degrees, emphasizing the need for an objective verification of Ms. Lee's appointment process. She stated that the matter transcends individual qualifications and directly impacts public trust in the fairness and transparency of public institution hiring practices.
According to Representative Jin, Incheon National University's Department of Trade selected Ms. Lee as the final candidate through a three-stage blind review process involving 25 applicants. However, controversy escalated when it was revealed that Ms. Lee, despite ranking low in the qualitative review of her research papers, received full marks in the academic background, professional experience, and quantitative research paper evaluations, allowing her to pass the first stage of review ranked second overall. The full marks given for professional experience, in particular, are raising concerns, as the specific details of that experience have not been clearly disclosed. In response, Incheon National University President Lee In-jae offered a principled explanation, stating that full marks were awarded for applicants holding doctoral degrees in international business and that only job experience related to the relevant field was considered. Nevertheless, the controversy persists, as no clear evidence has been presented to demonstrate that Ms. Lee's specific experience was distinctly superior to that of other applicants. Critics argue that evaluation criteria favorable to a specific individual may have been applied at a national university that should be selecting talent through fair competition.
These allegations of preferential treatment are amplified by the past controversy surrounding the hiring of Yoo Dam, the daughter of former lawmaker Yoo Seung-min. Back then, Ms. Yoo's high scores and subsequent acceptance in a specific hiring process sparked significant social debate. As such, allegations that children of high-ranking public officials or individuals with significant social influence receive preferential treatment in hiring processes undermine public confidence in the fairness of society as a whole. The younger generation, in particular, strongly desires to have their abilities recognized through fair competition. Thus, these types of allegations can amplify feelings of frustration and resentment among young people.
Therefore, it is of paramount importance to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the appointment of President Lee Jae-myung's daughter as an assistant professor in order to dispel all doubts and establish a fair hiring system. Should any evidence of preferential treatment be uncovered, those involved should face severe penalties, and a comprehensive overhaul of the hiring system should be implemented.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly Education Committee also raised concerns regarding the closure of the 'Xi Jinping Resource Center' at Seoul National University. Representative Cho Jung-hoon stated that a parliamentary petition calling for the closure of the Xi Jinping Resource Center at Seoul National University had surpassed 47,000 signatures. Representative Seo Ji-young also questioned the effectiveness of the resource center's operations, pointing out that 11 specially managed books installed in the Xi Jinping Pavilion had been borrowed less than 10 times in 10 years. In response, Seoul National University President Yoo Hong-lim stated that the decision to close the resource center was not something Seoul National University could unilaterally decide. However, controversy is expected to continue over the appropriateness of operating a resource center honoring a particular nation's leader within Seoul National University. In light of recent rapid shifts in the international political landscape, concerns have been raised that the center could promote a biased perspective towards a particular nation, leading to calls for social discussion on the matter. Seoul National University must re-examine its resource center operations in order to maintain academic freedom and neutrality and provide a balanced perspective.
