5·18 Post on Elementary Teacher Community
5·18 Foundation Announces Legal Action... "Intentional Distortion"
A post distorting and denigrating the May 18 Democratic Movement was uploaded to an online community where 100,000 elementary school teachers freely share and upload teaching materials. In response, the May 18 Foundation has announced plans for legal action.
A post distorting and belittling the May 18 incident uploaded to a community with 100,000 elementary school teachers. [Photo by Yonhap News, provided by the May 18 Memorial Foundation]
According to Yonhap News, around 10 p.m. on the 15th, a post titled "Educational Materials on the May 18 Democratic Movement (A Critical Perspective)" was uploaded to Indischool, an exclusive community for elementary school teachers. The author, a teacher identified as A, expressed doubts about the May 18 Democratic Movement, stating, "I learned about it as a democratic movement, but as I studied on my own, several questions arose."
Reviewing the teaching materials posted by A, they included questions such as, "Where did the protesters get guns and bombs? It’s obvious they would have been stopped by soldiers and police," "If they got them from military bases and police stations, would the soldiers and police have just stood by?" "Why were bombs planted in the basement of the Jeonnam Provincial Office?" and "Is what we learn in school the truth? Let’s develop the ability to think independently as we grow."
A also questioned political positions, asking, "What was the intention behind the Moon Jae-in administration’s attempt to push a constitutional amendment on February 1, 2018, that sought to remove freedom?" The materials were posted as part of creative experiential learning but were deleted around 5 p.m. on the 16th after controversy arose. A was confirmed to have joined Indischool in May 2011.
A representative from the May 18 Foundation stated, "Although the identity of the author as a current elementary school teacher has not been confirmed, it appears there was a clear intent to distort the May 18 event," adding, "We plan to respond after consulting legal experts."
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