Gov't to unveil controversial state-authored history textbooks next month

The controversial state-authored history textbooks for middle- and high schools will be made public next month, according to the Ministry of Education (MOE).

Speaking with the JoongAng Ilbo, Park Seong-min, Director General of the History Education Revision Committee at the ministry said Sunday that the textbook contents will go online on Nov. 28, and “for a month to follow, we will receive feedback from citizens and experts.”

He said the final version, which will reflect the feedback, will be completed in January before going to print in February. The official stressed that the ministry’s move was to make the process as “transparent” as possible.

The official said the lists of book authors and basic guidelines, which have been kept private, will be released along with the textbooks. Renowned historians and history teachers opposed the government’s approach last year, claiming that secrecy can make the books more biased.

The textbooks, which authors have been writing since November of last year, will be used in more than 6,000 schools across the country.

An anonymous ministry official told The Korea Times that it’s developing a program to actively receive feedback. Last year, the ministry was in hot water for turning off fax machines and refusing inquiries via phone calls and emails during the period of notification.