By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter
A high school textbook has been found to contain a map describing the sea between Korean and Japan as the ``Sea of Japan’’ instead of the ``East Sea.’’
The textbook was published by the Institute for Better Education and the image in question was printed on the cover of a social studies textbook for 10th graders. The publisher said the publication was ``a mistake.’’
Social Studies is a compulsory subject and each school chooses one of eight authorized textbooks, including the book from the Institute for Better Education.
The book also bears the phrase ``Authorized by the Ministry of Education & Science Technology’’ on the cover, which might lead to the misunderstanding that the Korean government recognizes the body of water as the ``Sea of Japan.’’
VANK (Voluntary Agency Network of Korea) President Park Ki-tae said, ``Though the publisher did not intend to print Sea of Japan, it needs to be corrected since Japan might publicize it as if the Korean government had approved the Sea of Japan.’’
The East Sea-Sea of Japan debate is a sensitive issue between Korea and Japan, and the publisher had to be more careful in its selection of a picture of the globe, he added.
The Education Ministry also expressed dismay over the incident. ``It is regretable that a Korean textbook has a picture bearing the ‘Sea of Japan’ on its cover,’’ said an official at the ministry.
The institute said it was just a simple mistake during printing. The publisher had erased the `Sea of Japan’ phrase before a previous publication in July 2001, but mistakenly put the original one on the new cover.
``We realized the error after some high schools pointed it out in the new semester,’’ an official at the publishing company said.
The institute plans to reprint the textbook with a revised cover and recall all already-distributed books. ``We will send documents to schools and explain the mistake in the picture of the globe before the redistribution,’’ the official added.