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Park Geun-hye of South Korea Defends Move to Issue State History Textbooks Park Geun-hye of South Korea Defends Move to Issue State History Textbooks
(about 14 hours later)
SEOUL, South Korea — President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday defended her government’s decision to teach children history with government-issued textbooks, arguing that the move was aimed partly at preventing the country from ever again being dominated by a foreign power. SEOUL, South Korea — President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday defended her government’s decision to teach children history with government-issued textbooks, arguing that the move was aimed partly at preventing the country from ever again being dominated by a foreign power.
“We are witnessing a rapid shift in Northeast Asia and its vicinity,” Ms. Park said in her first reaction to a political firestorm ignited by the government announcement on Monday. “Given the situation, if we don’t try to inculcate the students with historical convictions and pride, we may be culturally and historically subjugated by another country.”“We are witnessing a rapid shift in Northeast Asia and its vicinity,” Ms. Park said in her first reaction to a political firestorm ignited by the government announcement on Monday. “Given the situation, if we don’t try to inculcate the students with historical convictions and pride, we may be culturally and historically subjugated by another country.”
Ms. Park made the comment in a meeting with her senior presidential staff, according to her office, hours before leaving for the United States for a summit meeting with President Obama.Ms. Park made the comment in a meeting with her senior presidential staff, according to her office, hours before leaving for the United States for a summit meeting with President Obama.
The two leaders are expected to discuss South Korea’s increasingly tricky balancing act between the United States, its biggest military ally, and China, its main trading partner. Last month, Ms. Park was the only leader from a major American ally to attend a military parade in Beijing that highlighted China’s growing quest for military influence in the region. Ms. Park has met President Xi Jinping of China several times while shunning Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, another crucial American ally.The two leaders are expected to discuss South Korea’s increasingly tricky balancing act between the United States, its biggest military ally, and China, its main trading partner. Last month, Ms. Park was the only leader from a major American ally to attend a military parade in Beijing that highlighted China’s growing quest for military influence in the region. Ms. Park has met President Xi Jinping of China several times while shunning Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, another crucial American ally.
Under Ms. Park, South Korea has repeatedly accused Mr. Abe’s government of using textbooks to indoctrinate young Japanese with a whitewashed and increasingly nationalistic version of its modern colonialist history. But she faced similar accusations of propagandism from her domestic critics after her government decided to place itself in charge of writing history textbooks for middle and high school students.Under Ms. Park, South Korea has repeatedly accused Mr. Abe’s government of using textbooks to indoctrinate young Japanese with a whitewashed and increasingly nationalistic version of its modern colonialist history. But she faced similar accusations of propagandism from her domestic critics after her government decided to place itself in charge of writing history textbooks for middle and high school students.
On Tuesday, the main political opposition warned of a major legislative gridlock, threatening to block budgetary and other bills at the National Assembly unless the government withdrew the decision. Many history professors said they would not accept the offer even if the Education Ministry invited them to join a panel of historians that the government said would write new textbooks. On Tuesday, the main political opposition warned of a major legislative gridlock, threatening to block budgetary and other bills at the National Assembly unless the government withdrew the decision.
In a message widely circulated online, Moon Jae-in, the main opposition leader, targeted Ms. Park: “A good president makes history, a bad president makes history books.” Many history professors said they would not accept the offer even if the Education Ministry invited them to join a panel of historians that the government said would write new textbooks.
In a message widely circulated online, Moon Jae-in, the main opposition leader, targeted Ms. Park when he said, “A good president makes history, a bad president makes history books.”
Ms. Park’s opponents feared that Ms. Park would use the new textbooks to gloss over the legacy of the country’s conservative elites, including her father, the former military dictator Park Chung-hee. Many conservative former leaders, like Mr. Park, were accused of collaborating during Japan’s colonial rule of Korea in the early 20th century. They subsequently led South Korea during its rapid economic growth but also jailed and tortured dissidents, branding them Communists.Ms. Park’s opponents feared that Ms. Park would use the new textbooks to gloss over the legacy of the country’s conservative elites, including her father, the former military dictator Park Chung-hee. Many conservative former leaders, like Mr. Park, were accused of collaborating during Japan’s colonial rule of Korea in the early 20th century. They subsequently led South Korea during its rapid economic growth but also jailed and tortured dissidents, branding them Communists.
On Tuesday, Ms. Park showed no sign of backing down.On Tuesday, Ms. Park showed no sign of backing down.
“History education should never be used for political strife or ideological confrontation to divide the people and the students,” she said, accusing the opposition parties of stoking “unnecessary controversy.” She said her government was trying to arm young Koreans with “correct historical views and values.”“History education should never be used for political strife or ideological confrontation to divide the people and the students,” she said, accusing the opposition parties of stoking “unnecessary controversy.” She said her government was trying to arm young Koreans with “correct historical views and values.”
Currently, schools are free to choose from among eight history textbooks, distributed by private publishers after the government approved them. But Ms. Park and her conservative supporters faulted the books, saying they were written by left-leaning historians and teachers with “ideological biases.”Currently, schools are free to choose from among eight history textbooks, distributed by private publishers after the government approved them. But Ms. Park and her conservative supporters faulted the books, saying they were written by left-leaning historians and teachers with “ideological biases.”
In 2013, conservative scholars published a rival textbook. But it was accused of playing down the legacy of pro-Japanese collaborators and exaggerating the achievements of Mr. Park, and few schools have adopted it.In 2013, conservative scholars published a rival textbook. But it was accused of playing down the legacy of pro-Japanese collaborators and exaggerating the achievements of Mr. Park, and few schools have adopted it.