"Withdraw the Deletion of 5·18 from the Curriculum" Sparks Continued Backlash from Various Sectors

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Various sectors continue to oppose the exclusion of the term "5·18 Democratic Movement" from the revised curriculum.

Members of the National Assembly from the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions held a press conference on the 4th, urging the withdrawal of the deletion of the 5·18 Democratic Movement from the revised curriculum.

They stated, "If 5·18 disappears from the curriculum, the history of democracy will fade," adding, "The people will be divided once again, which undermines the foundation of democracy."

All members of the Gwangju City Council also said, "Deleting the 5·18 Democratic Movement from South Korean textbooks is nothing but 'shamelessly imitating Japanese politicians who try to erase the East Sea from world maps,'" and added, "This is a heinous act by the South Korean government that damages South Korean democracy and completely denies the history of the democratization movement."

The Justice Party Gwangju Branch stated, "President Yoon Seok-yeol promised during his candidacy to include the spirit of 5·18 in the constitution and personally attended the 42nd anniversary commemoration of the 5·18 Democratic Movement last year, declaring that the May spirit is a precious asset of South Korea and a cornerstone of national unity," and added, "We cannot help but doubt the president's actions and sincerity regarding the 5·18 Democratic Movement. We urge him to promptly acknowledge the mistake and correct it."

The Minsheng Party Gwangju Branch also said, "The Ministry of Education's deletion of the 5·18 Democratic Movement from the revised curriculum is a short-sighted political act aimed at reversing history and hiding the truth," and argued, "The 5·18, which the world already recognizes as a historical truth, cannot have its meaning changed according to the tastes of the regime."

Gwangju Superintendent of Education Lee Jeong-seon also issued a statement that day, saying, "The 5·18 Democratic Movement is an indispensable fact in the development of democracy in our country, and the spirit of 5·18 is a model of acting conscience," and expressed concern that "despite the public debate over whether to include the spirit of 5·18 in the preamble of the constitution, the 2022 revised curriculum has weakened education on the democratization movement."

He continued, "History education must be based on clear facts and conducted to cultivate correct historical awareness among students," emphasizing, "We strongly request the Ministry of Education and the National Education Commission to explicitly include the 5·18 Democratic Movement in the achievement standards explanation of the 2022 revised curriculum."