[Editorial] Alternative Textbooks to Offer Fresh Perspectives

The Textbook Forum, a group of new right intellectuals, published its first alternative textbook on the history of modern and contemporary Korea with an aim to correct ideological bias in Korea’s existing history textbooks. A product of three years work, the book gave rise to heated debate in the academia as soon as it debuted because it offers vastly different interpretation on major historical events and figures unlike the existing ones written with a nationalistic approach.

The new textbook focuses on how Korea became the world’s 12th largest economy, overcoming the misery it suffered from the colonial rule in late 19th century. With heavy emphasis on modernization, the book offers a completely new perspective on Korean history that no other textbook has ever attempted. As a result, reformist activists during the Joseon Dynasty such as Kim Ok-gyun and Park Yeong-hyo were described as pioneers of modernization although they were not received favorably in other textbooks. The new book also highly accredited the insights of Korea’s patriotic forefathers who chose the path of free economy and democracy immediately after Korea’s liberation, and honored the efforts of leaders such as former Presidents Syngman Rhee and Park Chung-hee for setting the pace for modernization.

While the existing textbooks concentrated on highlighting what it calls “shameful history” of a nation “that should never have come into being,” marred by the nation’s division, dictatorship and corruption, the new textbook urges the students to be proud of the nation’s miraculous history of democratization and industrialization achieved within the shortest period of time in the world’s history. This is where the significance of the book lies. It allows future generations to see Korea’s modern and contemporary history with a new and balanced perspective.

Instead of imbuing students with pride about our nation, history classes have long forced students to feel guilty just because they were born in a “sinful” nation. Although existing textbooks described that the division of the peninsula was a result of the foundation of the Republic of Korea, it runs counter to the reality as the nation was divided when North Korea declared independent regime following Stalin’s orders in September 1945. Nonetheless, students learned it the other way round. What was worse, they were taught to view North Korea as a neutral or a favorable nation. No wonder these textbooks were sometimes dubbed as “anti-South Korea and pro-North Korea textbooks.”

The Textbook Forum hopes the alternative history textbook would be adopted as complementary material in classes which urgently needs to break free from anti-foreign sentiment and emotional nationalism prevalent in the existing textbooks. When the Education and Science Ministry publishes a new edition of official history textbook in 2010 as it planned, it must take into account the new perspective offered in the alternative textbook.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the foundation of Republic of Korea. Forcing education leaning excessively to the left to our students would be an act of insult to our forefathers who dedicated their lives in protecting and building the nation. It is up to the current generation to make sure that future generations regard Korea as a successful nation that overcame a great deal of adversities.