Education minister faces backlash from ruling party

Hwang Woo-yea, deputy prime minister for social affairs and education minister, displayed sense of embarrassment in his voice on Tuesday. Asked what he thought of mounting calls for his replacement from within the ruling camp, Hwang sighed of despair, saying, “I `m trying my best in my capacity, but….”

Hwang is in a limbo. While he could label the opposition parties’ submission of motion to seek his resignation as political offensives, he is even facing a growing number of ruling Saenuri Party members demanding his replacement. People around the ruling camp say that nomination of Hwang`s replacement has been completed, and only timing is being gauged to take action to replace him.

Hwang is the minister in charge of publishing state history textbooks. While his response to the government’s plan to publish state history textbooks was lukewarm at best, his passive reaction to controversy over formation of a taskforce on publishing of state history textbooks, which the ruling party raised issue for public debate, also sparked criticism against him.

When asked what he thought of demand for Hwang’s replacement even within the ruling party following a youth forum hosted by the party’s special committee on improvement of history textbooks on Tuesday, Saenuri Party Chairman Kim Moo-sung told reporters that such demand could be almost justified. He did not directly attack Hwang by saying the minister should be sacked, but he straightforwardly raised issue with Hwang’s stance.

Mood at the ruling party over Hwang is not favorable at best. Notably, a growing number of lawmakers with the pro-Park Geun-hye faction in the party are criticizing Hwang.

“Many lawmakers seem to think that the minister in charge must more actively seek to push ahead with the issue. Personally, I feel regret (about his stance)," Rep. Kim Jae-won, former presidential secretary for political affairs, told a radio interview on the day. “With poor strategy and tactics, Hwang took ill-advised first response. Education minister should be replaced,”Rep. Kim Tae-heum, a member of the pro-Park faction, also criticized Hwang.

Hwang’s voluntary offer to give a press conference at the government complex in Seoul on the day apparently reflects such mood as well. “Since I am well aware that some people are concerned and worry about the minister, and I humbly and gravely accept it,” Hwang talked on the demand for his replacement. “Now is time that the Education Ministry exerted all-out efforts to publish desirable and accurate history textbooks, and encouraged each other.” He expressed his commitment to push to implement schedules in person after public announcement (November 2) on publishing of state history textbooks. However, calls for his replacement have yet to abate.

sungho@donga.com