South Korea’s Education Minister nominee Lee Jin-sook issued a public apology on Wednesday amid allegations of academic misconduct and illegally sending her daughter abroad for studies.

During a confirmation hearing, Lee expressed regret over sending her second daughter to the United States in 2007 while she was still in the third year of middle school — a violation of the country’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which mandates compulsory education up to middle school. Lee, however, claimed she was unaware that her actions were against the law at the time.

According to South Korean law, children may only study abroad during this period if at least one parent relocates with them. In this case, both Lee and her husband remained in Korea, making the decision unlawful. The violation carries a penalty of less than 1 million won (approximately US$730).

In addition to the controversy surrounding her daughter, Lee also addressed serious academic integrity concerns. She is accused of plagiarism involving a thesis written by one of her students, along with allegations of duplicate publication of her own research papers.

Lee apologised for the controversies, stating she was “sincerely sorry” for the concerns they had caused.

The developments have sparked political and public scrutiny, especially as Lee is being considered for the nation’s top education post, responsible for upholding academic standards and legal compliance in the education system.