NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - Lawyers for Yale University are trying to persuade a federal judge to dismiss a $50 million lawsuit against the New Haven college filed by a school in South Korea.

Dongguk University claims in the lawsuit that its reputation was tarnished when Yale wrongly confirmed that it had awarded a doctorate to Shin Jeong-ah. The South Korean college hired Shin based on the bogus degree, and she was later caught in a sex scandal with a top South Korean official.

The lawsuit says Dongguk had to endure a criminal investigation, job losses and revenue declines.

But Yale lawyers say in new court filings that it is the sex scandal, and not Yale's actions, that are at the heart of Dongguk's allegations. Yale says the faulty degree confirmation was an administrative error and has apologized.

The 36-year-old Shin was sentenced in a South Korean court to 18 months in jail for faking her Yale doctorate and embezzling museum funds.

The court also handed down a suspended jail term to Byeon Yang-kyoon, a 59-year-old former South Korean presidential aide who was romantically linked to Shin. He was charged with using his influence to get Shin hired by Dongguk.

Byeon was forced to resign his government post because of the scandal with Shin.