Rules of Research Ethics

Enacted on January 5^th, 2015

Article1. (Purpose)

The purpose of rules is that academic activities and publication of the Institute of Latin American Studies in Hankuk University of Foreign Studies facilitate the developments in research activities of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and the Institute of Latin American Studies.

Article2. (Ethics Rules Outline)

1. Researchers should be honest in each of researches they conduct.
2. ‘Honesty’ is related to research activities, management of research funds, and publication of research.
3. In the activities of research and writing, plagiarism, falsification, and fabrication should be regarded as a serious crime.

Article3. (Definition of research dishonesty)

1. Research dishonesty is defined as careless conduct in research proposal, reporting, falsification, plagiarism, and fraud.
2. Simple mistakes or simple differences of result and research method, dishonest activities that are not related to research would not be included.

Article4. (Research Ethics Committee)

1. Research Ethics Committee (hereinafter referred to as The “Committee”) operates within the institute to deliberate research.
2. The Committee consists of less than five members including director, chairman, and an editing assistant.
3. Chairman is appointed by the director, and vice-chairman and assistant shall be elected by the mutual vote in the Committee.
4. The director shall appoint committee members, and the members serve one-year renewable term.

Article5. (Administration of the Committee)

1. The Committee shall be convened in case of director’s call or chairman’s recognition of necessity.
2. The Committee shall open by a majority of current committee members’ attendance, and issues can be resolved by a majority of attendant committee members. The power of attorney shall be recognized as attendance but, shall not exercise voting rights.
3. The members concerned about the research project on deliberation cannot participate in the deliberation regarding that research.
4. The chairman can ask for reporting or submission of documents to principal researchers or administrators in case of necessity for deliberation.
5. The members should keep confidential about the overall issues regarding the deliberation.

Article6. (Functions of the Committee) The Committee shall deliberate on those issues below.

1. Issues regarding research ethics about the thesis, articles, proposals, reports related to the Institute
2. Research ethics and the education about research and technical development
3. Accusation made in good faith of research honesty related to the Institute
4. Investigation on research misconduct related to the Institute
5. Issues regarding research ethics submitted by a principal researcher or administrator of research project related to the Institute
6. Issues regarding research ethics submitted by other chairman

Article7. (Procedures for research dishonesty)

1. When research dishonesty is accused, the committee should carry on appropriate investigations and procedures about the allegation.
2. The Investigation on research dishonesty should be kept confidential and not threaten the interests of the Institute or ordering agency.
3. Subjects on allegations have rights to raise an objection to the results of investigation which should be warranted appropriately by the Committee.
4. Examination process of research dishonesty is comprised of three steps including preliminary investigation, principal investigation and final decision
5. If it is considered to conduct principal investigation after preliminary investigation, the principal investigation is conducted on through not only the examination with informant, examinee and witness but the collected evidence.
6. The committee can request the attendance of informant, examinee and witness. In this case, the examinee should allow the request and submit supplementary materials.
7. The committee should not expose identity of the informant and should guarantee the privilege against disadvantageous action of the informant.
8. The committee should be as careful as possible for the examinee’s honor and rights until the investigation of research dishonesty is verified.
9. Secrecy is of utmost importance during the procedure of providing information, investigation, consideration and decision. And all the participants should keep secret about the information from the procedure about investigation.
10. The committee should notice about the investigation result and give examinee the chance for enough summon.
11. After the consent from attendance of two-thirds of committee members and majority of those present, the result should noticed to the informant and the examinee.
12. The results of investigation on research dishonesty should be reported to the Institute and the reports should be kept in the Institute for five years after the case is complete.
13. If necessary, the Committee can make subjects on allegations attend, giving an opportunity to protect themselves and make an counterargument.
14. If research dishonesty is ascertained, it would be proclaimed, and the follow-up measures, which relied on the resolution of the standing committee, can be taken.

① Sending letters of reprimand of the institute
② Demand for cancellation or revision of the research
③ Replacement of the people who concerned about the relevant research project
④ Disqualification of members during a given period
⑤ Expulsion
⑥ Accusation to law organizations
When an investigation confirmed that there is no research dishonesty, The Committee can take follow-up procedures to make up the reputation of subjects on allegation.

Article8. Enforcement date

The rules shall be effective on the date of resolution in the standing committee.