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A portion of the Korea Institute of Learning Evaluation’s Korean history textbook for high school students about Syngman Rhee. The text refers to “seven figures who changed the course of Korean history after liberation,” and lists Rhee first, on the top left. (Yonhap)

A debate over historical distortions is unfolding in connection with an authorized Korean history textbook that was written by authors with “new right” leanings. The book in question will be studied by high school students starting in March of next year.

The reason for the controversy has to do with ample evidence of efforts to downplay the issue of women victimized by sexual slavery by the Japanese military, while defending South Korea’s past dictatorships.

There have also been media reports that one of the writers for the textbook in question is currently a youth adviser to Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho. This is not the time for the ministry to remain silent.

Recently, the Ministry of Education published results in its bulletin from a review of authorized elementary, middle, and high school textbooks based on the new educational curriculum.

The one at issue is a Korean history textbook published by the Korea Institute of Learning Evaluation (KILE). This marks the first time that the publisher has passed a history textbook authorization process — but the content of its “Korean History 2,” which presents figures and events from Korean modern and contemporary history, shows substantial differences from other texts.

Instead of making any specific reference to the sexual exploitation of the “comfort women,” the textbook states that “young women were taken to places such as China and Southeast Asia and subjected to terrible lives.” In comparison with other textbooks, it offers a reduced explanation of the issue, with phrasing couched in the most abstract terms possible.

It also dedicates a good deal of space to former South Korean President Syngman Rhee but describes his rule as “long-term possession of power” rather than referring to it as a dictatorship. The significance of the government influence scandal during the Park Geun-hye administration is downplayed with a reference to “allegations of civilian involvement in state affairs.”

The writers’ historical perceptions are so skewed as to make them wholly unsuitable for the writing of textbooks.

At past seminars and other venues, these same writers have expressed issues with past textbooks, which they accused of being “eager to show all the painful memories of civilians being injured or killed as a result of policies during the Liberal Party and military administrations” or of publishing “self-pitying narratives written in schematic binary terms with Japan as a ‘strong, wicked country’ and Korea as a ‘weak, virtuous country.’”

In the case of the KILE’s “Korean History 1” textbook, there have been allegations of plagiarism from previous state-designation textbooks. Questions have been raised in the past about the company’s ability to write with a staff of just six people. Indeed, the end result has stirred up a controversy over shoddy writing.

The Ministry of Education reportedly does not plan to disclose any information about whether the administration asked the publishing companies to make revisions during the authorization process or whether any portions reflect such requests.

The ministry has explained that the minister’s youth adviser only took part in the early draft process for the textbook last year before moving over to the Education Ministry, but recent revelations showed that they only left the writing team on Aug. 21 of this year.

The Ministry of Education needs to respond to the concerns and questions raised in this authorization process by providing answers that the South Korean public can accept.

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]