Violation of the 'Yeosun Incident Special Act' and Opposition to School Adoption
"Fear That Painful Wounds May Instead Cause Social Conflict"
The Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education expressed regret over some publishers referring to the Yeosu-Suncheon October 19 Incident victims as a "rebellion" and urged the removal of such expressions.
On the 6th, the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education stated in a press release, "This expression ('rebellion') does not align with the definition in the 'Special Act on the Investigation of the Truth and Restoration of Honor of the Victims of the Yeosu-Suncheon October 19 Incident' (Yeosun Incident Act), which was passed by the National Assembly in 2021 through bipartisan agreement."
They added, "It is a highly inappropriate expression that can hinder social harmony and the pursuit of truth, and it inflicts further wounds on the victims by using terms like 'rebellion,'" demanding its immediate deletion.
The Provincial Office of Education stated that it will explore all possible measures within its authority to ensure that textbooks violating the intent of the Yeosun Incident Act are not adopted in frontline schools.
They emphasized that the Yeosu-Suncheon October 19 Incident was a heartbreaking event in which innocent civilians were massacred during the chaotic period immediately following the outbreak of the Korean War, and that it is a tragic modern history involving human rights violations caused by state violence.
Furthermore, they noted that the Yeosun Incident Act is a law aimed at uncovering the truth of the incident and restoring the honor of the victims, criticizing some publishers for using inappropriate expressions as a denial and violation of the special law's intent.
They also pointed out, "Some publishers have inappropriately expressed the history in textbooks, instilling incorrect historical perceptions and undermining trust in history education," and warned that "the painful Yeosu-Suncheon October 19 Incident could provoke social conflict due to inappropriate expressions."
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