The Controversy Begins with Han Kang's Novel 'The Vegetarian'
Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education Explains Book Disposal Controversy
Gyeonggi Branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union Opposes the Education Office's Censorship Actions
The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education refuted on the 11th the claim that it "created a list of harmful sex education books for youth and ordered their disposal in school libraries at all levels," stating that it is not true.
The controversy began with the claim that the novel The Vegetarian by Han Kang, a Nobel Prize in Literature laureate, was included in the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education's list of harmful books. According to the Office of Education, a conservative parent group had pointed out books they claimed were harmful to students last year and continuously filed complaints about books stocked in various school libraries.
Accordingly, between September and November of last year, the Office of Education sent official letters containing the review criteria for harmful youth media to education support offices and instructed schools at all levels to determine harmful books through library operation committees involving parents and others. However, as the official letters included reports reflecting the claims of the conservative parent group, it is known that some schools referred to these when judging harmful books.
As a result, approximately 2,490 schools disposed of a total of 2,517 harmful sex education books for youth. This accounts for 5.7% of the total 44,903 sex education books under controversy for harmfulness. Notably, only one school disposed of the novel The Vegetarian, reportedly judging that some parts of the novel's content could have a negative impact on students.
A representative of the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education explained, "The sex education books disposed of last year were autonomously judged by each school through their operation committees," adding, "We never forced any specific books."
On the other hand, the Gyeonggi branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union claimed that the Office of Education pressured the disposal of sex education books and demanded an apology. In a statement, the union emphasized, "The indiscriminate censorship by the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, which blocked students' learning under the name of protecting students, is violence," and urged, "Do not hide behind the excuse of school discretion; apologize for encouraging and pressuring the disposal of sex education books."
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