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Opposition lawmakers affix messages opposing state-issued history textbooks and calling on President Park Geun-hye to improve livelihoods as she addresses the National Assembly

President Park Geun-hye made it clear in a policy address at the National Assembly on Oct. 27 that she intends to go ahead with state issuance of middle and high school Korean history textbooks, which she described as the “correction of an abnormal situation.”

The message was that Park remains undeterred in proceeding with the issuance despite fierce objections from educators and academics and growing negative public opinion. Despite Park describing the aim of issuance as to “unify a divided public discourse” during her speech, the designation push appears poised to intensify existing divisions and conflicts.

“The correction of an abnormal situation that I am currently pursuing is an attempt to fix mistakes and vices that have become common practice throughout society and to create a Korea with the ‘right fundamentals,’” Park said while addressing the National Assembly on Oct. 27 for a policy speech on the 2016 budget.

“The administration’s current efforts to normalize history education is intended so that the children who will be the actors of our future have a proper understanding of our history and grow up with a sense of pride as South Korean citizens,” she added.

Park’s remarks were part of an attempt to win public support for the state issuance of history textbooks by describing it as “normalization.”

Park also said it was “a natural job and mission for our generation to normalize history education so that children have a strong view of their country as they play a leading role amid a rapidly changing international environment.”

Having ignited the conflict by pushing forward with the state issuance plan, Park criticized the opposition for “generating political conflict” by opposing it.

“The correction of history cannot and must not be an arena for politicking,” she insisted.

Park went on to declare plans to work toward “uniting our divided national discourse through proper history textbooks and instilling a sense of pride and legitimacy toward the Republic of Korea in our children.”

“While some concerns have been expressed that state issuance of history textbooks could result in distortions or whitewashing of history, I for one will not sit by if such textbooks are produced,” she added.

Park’s all-out strategy on state issuance is being read as an attempt to rally supporters behind the push and turn the tide of public opinion at a moment when opposition to it outweighs support. While she chose the format of a policy address to National Assembly members, the real aim was to take her message directly to the public, analysts said.

At one point during the address, Park said, “I ask the public to harness its wisdom and power so that a growing generation develops a proper view of history and state and prepares for the age of unification as they move ahead into the future.”

In an unusual move, the Blue House also invited around 80 members of conservative groups to attend the National Assembly plenary session that day, in what could be a sign of an upcoming political battle.

With Park reaffirming her plans to go ahead with state textbook issuance, the stage now appears set for the conflict over the decision to intensify.

Criticism has recently shifted beyond the content of the textbooks toward the matter of the administration attempting to develop a single textbook in the first place, which a growing number of people view as an attempt to turn back the clock on democracy.

“The state issuance debate is turning into a battle of democracy versus totalitarianism,” said Yoon Pyung-joong, a professor of political philosophy at Hanshin University.

“It’s a situation now that calls on the public to prove whether they are democrats or totalitarians,” he added.

Yoon also said there were “not many people in the Republic of Korea in 2015 who could call themselves totalitarians.”

Yoon went on to warn of a “never-ending battle” if the state issuance goes ahead, with the selection of writers and content becoming the topic of ongoing debate.

“President Park’s only exit strategy is not putting a deadline on the state issuance,” he said.

Reactions to Park‘s policy address were split on party lines. Kim Moo-sung, chairperson of the ruling Saenuri Party, said he agreed with Park on what he called “very important details” and pledge to “give my active support so that what the President talked about becomes a reality.”

Moon Jae-in, leader of the opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, said the public was “sincerely hopeful that [the administration] will stop trying to ram through state-issued textbooks and focus its energies on saving the economy and livelihoods.”

“Those voices were ignored,” he lamented.

By Choi Hye-jung and Lee Seung-joon, staff reporters

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