More than half the candidates who sat the first Korean history proficiency test by the National Institute of Korean History on Nov. 25 failed. The NIKH said Wednesday that 48.37 percent of 15,395 applicants passed the test. By level, 45.71 percent of applicants passed the high-school history education equivalent level, 31.73 percent passed the middle school test, and 85.04 percent and 72.94 percent the two elementary-grade papers. In other words, while most candidates at elementary level passed, candidates at middle school level proved particularly poor.

To pass, candidates must score at least 70 points in the elementary tests but 60 points at middle school level and above. A NIKH official attributed the poor results to the college entrance-focused education system, saying students who were interested in Korean history during elementary school days don’t have time to read history books when they go to middle and high school because they have to prepare for their entrance exam.

The NIKH said the success rate was so low because applicants took the test without benefit of past papers since it was the first of its kind, and because no reference books and primers were available. But a fail rate of 51.63 still throws a devastating light on history education here.

Candidates were most embarrassed by questions about Japanese colonial rule. Experts say this is because some school history classes sometimes don’t cover the era, which is in the latter part of the standard textbooks, due to time restraints. Many applicants also gave wrong answers to questions about the ancient Koguryo and Barhae kingdoms, which China has been trying to co-opt as part of its history by way of the so-called Northeast Project. This suggests Korea has tackled attempts at historical distortion by Japan and China with more rhetoric than substance.

(englishnews@chosun.comm )