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| Saenuri Party Chairman Rep. Kim Moo-sung, left, speaks about ideological bias he claims is evident in a number of history textbooks during a party meeting, Wednesday. / Yonhap |
Gov't to announce state publication plan next week
By Do Je-hae
Rival parties clashed Wednesday over the Park Geun-hye administration's move to have students learn history from a state-authored textbook.
Ruling Saenuri Party Chairman Rep. Kim Moo-sung reaffirmed in a party meeting his position that the current textbooks, published by private firms after getting authorization from the government, contain ideologically biased content on disputed events in modern history.
However, Rep. Moon Jae-in, leader of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), vowed to block such a move, saying the ruling camp was attempting to return to an authoritarian era.
The collision came after the Ministry of Education said it will announce a plan to revise history textbooks next week.
The ministry fell short of confirming that it will introduce a state-authored book, but sources said the ruling party and the government have already agreed to do so.
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| Members of civic groups against a state-authored history textbook call for the government to scrap the plan in front of the Government Complex in Seoul, Wednesday. The Ministry of Education plans to make a decision on the issue next week. / Yonhap |
The opposition party said it is an anachronistic move by the Park government to teach a single version of modern Korean history in middle and high schools by standardizing textbook content.
"It is an attempt to return to the Yushin era," Moon said during a Supreme Council meeting, referring to the 1972 Yushin Constitution that laid the groundwork for then-President Park Chung-hee, father of President Park Geun-hye, to extend his authoritarian rule.
"The government and the Saenuri Party must terminate their thinking that they can control the people's perception of history," Moon said.
The party adopted a statement to protest the move, Wednesday.
"We fear that the Park Geun-hye administration's enforcement of state-compiled history textbooks will gloss over pro-Japanese activities or authoritarian rule," the statement reads.
The education ministry will undergo a National Assembly audit session today, where lawmakers are expected to square off on the state-authored textbook. During an audit last month, Education Minister Hwang Woo-yea underlined the need to teach a "single version of history," signaling the need for an overhaul of the current system.
The Park government's aim is to weed out "ideologically biased" views in history education through teaching a unified version of history. Under the current multiple textbook system, writers for eight local publishers author the textbooks, which are approved by the ministry before hitting the market.
The ruling party is drumming up support for the government's plan for a state-compiled history textbook ahead of an official announcement next week.
"Textbooks that are currently being used in middle and high schools deny our nation's history," Kim said during the meeting. "They are based on leftist views."
As an example of a "leftist view" of history, he referred to some textbooks placing blame on former President Syngman Rhee for the division of the Korean Peninsula following the end of Japanese colonial rule by supporting the establishment of a separate government.
The Saenuri Party recently launched a special panel, led by Rep. Kim Eul-dong, to support the government's push to introduce a state-authored history textbook. Kim is the granddaughter of a renowned anti-Japanese activist Kim Ja-jin (1889-1930).
As the government's push for the textbook gains traction, protests have been spreading across the nation.
A network of protesters held simultaneous press conferences in nine cities Wednesday. The network consists of teachers, parents and civic activists from 470 organizations. "More teachers, parents and historians are declaring their opposition to the state-authored textbooks," a statement read. "We urge the Park Geun-hye administration to stop its all-out efforts to censor history."
Last month, more than 15,000 educators who belong to the left-leaning Korea Teachers and Education Workers Union signed a petition against the government pushing ahead with the policy, which it said "downplays democracy and creative education."
Professors from the top universities in Seoul, including Seoul National, Korea and Yonsei, have also expressed opposition.
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