People's right to know comes before protecting authors
The government is going back on its word with regard to being open and transparent about the publishing process for state-authored history textbooks to be used in secondary schools.
The public is eager to know who will write the new material, but the government has decided to withhold the names of the authors. The National Institute of Korean History (NIKH) announced only two of the 25 main authors earlier this month, but one of them resigned after allegations surfaced that he had sexually harassed a female journalist. After this scandal, the state institute reaffirmed a tight-lipped policy on future proceedings for author selection.
Only last week, the education ministry pledged that the entire publishing process would be transparent and open to the public. one of the key avenues for obtaining transparency was to release the names of authors and their qualifications. The ministry was going to collect feedback from the public regarding the list of authors. Such transparency measures announced by the education ministry have not been honored. The ministry has also decided not to disclose the details of a review panel for the textbooks that they are currently recruiting.
The biggest problem with the NIKH's secretive policy is that it is denying the public the right to determine, based on the background and the qualification of the writers, what kind of history education they can expect to be written in the new texts. A recent survey shows that two out of three Koreans think that the government should release the list of the authors.
Many Koreans are still not convinced that returning to a system of state published history textbooks, which no free democracy uses today, is a step that the county needs to take. A secretive publication process will only add to widespread doubts about the fair representation of history in the new texts.
The Park Geun-hye government's push for the state textbook policy has faced intense criticism here and abroad. By deciding to keep silent about the authors, the President is provoking additional public indignation about her drive to revive a state monopoly of history textbooks during the 1970s authoritarian rule.
Park and the education ministry need to listen closely to public opinion and reflect their views in the implementation of the state textbook policy in the coming months.
The government put forth an excuse for not releasing a list of the authors, saying the authors need protection from "groundless speculation towards them and give them the freedom to focus on writing." The NIKH blamed the media for the resignation of Choi Mong-ryong, professor emeritus of Seoul National University (SNU), initially announced as one of the two lead others with Shin Hyung-sik from Ewha Womans University.
The protection of authors is an important issue, but the government must not forget that the people's right to know comes before shielding the authors from public scrutiny. Park should remember that even during her father Park Chung-hee's rule, the government released the names of authors of state history textbooks.
If the authors are faced with excessive online harassment and other forms of disruption, then it will be the job of the police and law enforcement authorities to handle.
The public is eager to know who will write the new material, but the government has decided to withhold the names of the authors. The National Institute of Korean History (NIKH) announced only two of the 25 main authors earlier this month, but one of them resigned after allegations surfaced that he had sexually harassed a female journalist. After this scandal, the state institute reaffirmed a tight-lipped policy on future proceedings for author selection.
Only last week, the education ministry pledged that the entire publishing process would be transparent and open to the public. one of the key avenues for obtaining transparency was to release the names of authors and their qualifications. The ministry was going to collect feedback from the public regarding the list of authors. Such transparency measures announced by the education ministry have not been honored. The ministry has also decided not to disclose the details of a review panel for the textbooks that they are currently recruiting.
The biggest problem with the NIKH's secretive policy is that it is denying the public the right to determine, based on the background and the qualification of the writers, what kind of history education they can expect to be written in the new texts. A recent survey shows that two out of three Koreans think that the government should release the list of the authors.
Many Koreans are still not convinced that returning to a system of state published history textbooks, which no free democracy uses today, is a step that the county needs to take. A secretive publication process will only add to widespread doubts about the fair representation of history in the new texts.
The Park Geun-hye government's push for the state textbook policy has faced intense criticism here and abroad. By deciding to keep silent about the authors, the President is provoking additional public indignation about her drive to revive a state monopoly of history textbooks during the 1970s authoritarian rule.
Park and the education ministry need to listen closely to public opinion and reflect their views in the implementation of the state textbook policy in the coming months.
The government put forth an excuse for not releasing a list of the authors, saying the authors need protection from "groundless speculation towards them and give them the freedom to focus on writing." The NIKH blamed the media for the resignation of Choi Mong-ryong, professor emeritus of Seoul National University (SNU), initially announced as one of the two lead others with Shin Hyung-sik from Ewha Womans University.
The protection of authors is an important issue, but the government must not forget that the people's right to know comes before shielding the authors from public scrutiny. Park should remember that even during her father Park Chung-hee's rule, the government released the names of authors of state history textbooks.
If the authors are faced with excessive online harassment and other forms of disruption, then it will be the job of the police and law enforcement authorities to handle.