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| The National Institute of Korean History announced Monday that 47 authors will write government-led history textbooks for middle and high school students, but will not disclose their names until a later date. / Yonhap |
By Kim Se-jeong
A total of 47 authors will participate in writing government-sponsored history textbooks for middle and high school students, but their names will continue to be kept secret, the National Institute of Korean History said Monday, fueling outrage among opponents of the project.
The institute in charge of the new textbooks said it put the authors' privacy and independence ahead of the public's right to know, because the authors need to concentrate on writing without disruption.
The government initially planned to recruit 25 authors and directly invite 11 more for a total of 36 members.
But the final number was 47 ― 26 will author two textbooks for middle schools, while 21 will work on one high school textbook.
The government also said 17 of the writers were selected through an open contest, which received applications from 56 schoolteachers, professors and researchers. Another 30 have been invited by the government.
"We are confident that these authors will write textbooks that are fair, fun and easy to read," an institute official said.
But the institute said their names will not be disclosed until the proper time.
"Revealing their personal information could create groundless rumors or trouble for the authors," he said.
The only known author is Shin Hyung-sik, professor emeritus from Ewha Womans University, who will lead the team of authors.
In response, the Center for Freedom of Information and Transparent Society, a civic group, said it would keep pushing the institute to release the names, saying citizens have the right to be informed about the issue.
The Park Geun-hye administration has pushed ahead with the project, saying the textbooks now in use, published by eight private publishers, are pro-North Korean and thus need "correction."
But historians, civic groups, students, teacher groups and political opposition parties have opposed the plan, saying it contradicts the values of democracy and will deprive students of the opportunity to look at history from various viewpoints. They said the state-authored textbooks will signal a return to the authoritarian era under former President Park Chung-hee who oppressed freedom of expression.
Catholic groups also joined the protest last week. In a statement, the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice condemned the government for shutting its ears to mounting criticism of the project.
The government is taking stern action against opponents: last week, police sent summonses to 84 members of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union who signed a statement against the government policy.
In protest of the project, four regional educational offices announced they would collaborate on writing supplementary teaching materials so that children can learn various historical viewpoints. The offices are located in Gwangju and North Jeolla, South Chungcheong and Gangwon provinces.
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