Fake Degree Holder Teaches at Yonsei
By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
The scandal involving people holding positions for which they are not suitably qualified has now hit Yonsei University. The university is now entangled in a controversy over a professor who doesn’t hold a doctorate. A theology professor, Seo, studied at a Japanese university as a guest student for two years, where he earned unofficial credits.
With the credits, Seo was able to apply to do a Ph.D. course at Yonsei University where he gained his doctorate. In 2002, the school employed him as a professor.
Later, the school found that Seo’s credits, earned at the Japanese university, were not formally awarded and canceled his doctorate degree. But the school did not dismiss him.
Yonsei professors are claming that the school should deprive Prof. Seo of the position. ``Seo’s Ph.D. was already canceled. If so, the school should dismiss him. He also put other professor hopefuls at a serious disadvantage with his fake diploma when he was hired,’’ a professor of the school said.
However, an official in charge of professor recruitment said that there was no problem with the professor’s employment as doctorate degrees were not an essential requirement for the position when Seo was recruited. ``We didn’t take action against Prof. Seo as he didn’t fake his diploma and he is doing well at his job,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the prevalent fake diplomas scandal, education authorities plan to operate credential verification agencies. The agencies will check the authenticity of diplomas cited on their resumes and academic careers as well as licenses.