Defense minister apologizes over controversial educational material

Defense Minister Shin Won-shik speaks during a parliamentary session at the National Assembly, Dec. 21. Yonhap

Defense Minister Shin Won-sik has apologized over a recent controversy about some of the ministry's education material, which is provided to soldiers and describes the nation's easternmost islets of Dokdo as "disputed territory," a statement that prompted widespread criticism.

"It is our government's official position that we should not be involved with Japan's attempts to make Dokdo a source of international conflict ... Since I gave the final decision to publish the books, I will take all the responsibility and will apologize," he said during a press briefing held on Thursday afternoon.

Shin's apology came hours after it was found that the ministry's "Moral Strength Education Textbook," which was published earlier this month, stipulated that "regional powers surrounding the Korean Peninsula such as China, Russia and Japan, are engaging in territorial disputes involving the Dokdo islets, the Kuril Islands and the Senkaku Islands, which may easily lead to a military conflict."

This is in contrast with the official stance of the Korean government, which states that the nation has long maintained effective territorial control of Dokdo – which Japan claims as its own – and thus, there is no territorial dispute over the islets.

Shin told reporters that he was reprimanded by President Yoon Suk Yeol earlier in the day. According to Yoon's office, soon after the controversy arose on Thursday, the president ordered the ministry to immediately rectify the situation, saying that "this mistake should have never happened."

"I had nothing to say (to the president). I apologized for failing to thoroughly review (the material) before it was published," the minister said.

During the press conference, Shin also said that the ministry has decided to recall all 20,000 copies of the textbooks, apologizing for having wasted 40 million won ($31,000) of taxpayers money used to publish them.