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The Textbook Forum, a group set up by new right intellectuals in 2005 with the goal of correcting ideological bias in Korea¡¯s history textbooks, on Sunday published its first alternative textbook on the history of modern and contemporary Korea after three years of efforts. Its writers said they decided to publish the textbook ¡°to address and correct problems in the current textbooks, which have trivialized the historical meaning of the Republic of Korea based on a nationalist view of history and a unique theory of national division."
It is unlikely the book to be adopted immediately by schools. But the Textbook Forum expects that until 2010 when the current history textbooks are revised, their book can be used as an auxiliary material in classrooms and influence the Education Ministry in its formulation of guideline for textbooks.
The new textbook reflects the new right¡¯s view of history. Thus a chapter on the modern history of Korea defends South Korea's legitimacy and distances itself from the ¡°one Korea¡± nationalist view of history by talking of the "Korean people" rather than the "nation of Korea" as the agents of Korean history. It also states that during Japanese colonial occupation, coercive rule existed simultaneously with economic development.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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