[From Readers] Japanese apology for history distortion is a must

The Japanese move to distort history is a preposterous act. With the recent development, I have come to learn how absurd the Japanese people are. I wonder what Japan wants to gain from the distortion of history. And I find it difficult to understand what impression Japan intends to give to the Korean people. In a word, the Japanese move is very childish.

History means to describe the historical facts based on reality and rectify wrongs, if any, and then pursue new things with reflections on the past. However, Japan intends to not only conceal historical incidents such as its aggressive wars but also distort history and publish a textbook riddled with falsifications. The Japanese thinking and behavior arouses skepticism. The latest incident, no doubt, poured cold water on the relations between Korea and Japan, at a time when the two nations are promoting mutual friendship ahead of the 2002 World Cup to be co-hosted by the two countries.

It is not enough for the government to launch a special countermeasure committee. Korea must extract an official apology from the Tokyo government and ratchet up pressure until Japan publishes correct history books. I would like to give full-fledged support for the mass media and various civic groups to denounce the Japanese history distortion and demand an apology for the misdeed.

It is also necessary to imbue primary, middle and high school students with righteous perceptions of history and strengthen self-reliant education.

Roh Ji-Ho, college student in Asan City, South Chungchong Province