386 Books Held in 48 Elementary, Middle, and High Schools Nationwide
Campaign for Regulations Restricting Access to Historically Distorting Books
The May Organization is sending official letters to all 17 regional education offices nationwide to conduct a campaign urging the disposal of books distorting the May 18 incident in elementary, middle, and high school libraries. Provided by the May 18 Memorial Foundation
The May organizations have sent official documents to the 17 metropolitan and provincial offices of education nationwide, launching a campaign urging the disposal of books distorting the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement from elementary, middle, and high school libraries.
According to the three official May 18 organizations (Bereaved Families Association, Injured Persons Association, Meritorious Persons Association) and the May 18 Memorial Foundation on the 25th, the groups sent official documents to the 17 education offices on the 24th, urging the suspension of stocking and reading of books distorting the May 18 movement in elementary, middle, and high school libraries. The foundation will accept responses until the 31st, encourage each school to take action through official documents, and conduct related campaigns.
Previously, the civic group “Citizens’ Coalition for a Society Without Academic Hierarchy” announced in a press release on the 24th, “It has been confirmed that 386 books containing claims that distort or deny the May 18 movement are held in the libraries of 48 elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide.” The civic group conducted a survey using the school reading education platform “Dokseoro” on 23 titles classified by the foundation as books distorting the May 18 movement.
“Chun Doo-hwan Memoirs Vol. 1: The Age of Chaos,” which was banned from publication, printing, reproduction, sale, distribution, and advertising by a court ruling in 2018, was found to be available in eight schools nationwide. Books by Ji Manwon, a leading figure in distorting the May 18 movement, totaling 163 copies (7 titles), and books by Kim Daeryeong, totaling 213 copies (2 titles), were also available for reading.
The foundation also confirmed that some books not available in ordinary bookstores were stocked in school libraries.
The May 18 Memorial Foundation will continue to monitor and update the list of books distorting the May 18 movement through citizen reports and monitoring, and will conduct a campaign to encourage inspection of regulations restricting the acquisition and reading of historically distorting books in libraries nationwide. Legal actions to prohibit the distribution of books distorting the May 18 movement will also continue.
Foundation Chairperson Won Soonseok stated, “Schools are educational institutions that must teach the correct historical awareness and values to the youth of the next generation. Books that distort history should not be present in schools,” and added, “Each education office and school should immediately dispose of books distorting the May 18 movement and exercise caution in book selection.”
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
