Chinese History Issue Unites Parties

The sharply divided political parties have been in accord with a bipartisan response to the Chinese history distortion issue, unlike the wartime operational control issue.

On the morning of September 8, lawmakers held an inter-party meeting with floor leaders of the five parties in a guest restaurant in the National Assembly to take actions against the so-called Northeast Project initiated by the Chinese government, including the establishment of a special committee.

Kim Han-Gil, the floor leader of the ruling Uri Party, criticized, “Even though there are various viewpoints in writing history, history itself should remain intact and cannot conceal the facts. If Beijing intends to write the history in its own way for some purposes, it does not deserve the right to rebuke Japanese distorted history textbooks.”

Kim Hyeong-o, the floor leader of the Grand National Party, emphasized, “Considering that the Roh administration took only makeshift measures in the wake of the initial Northeast Project dispute with China two years ago, the fuzzy response now still falls short of substance and long on rhetoric to deflect public criticism. There should be an extended special parliament committee and expanded government budget on the related research.” The National Assembly currently operates a special committee on the Dokdo islets and history issues.

Hwang Woo-yeo criticized, “Ever since the Goguryeo History Foundation was merged into the Northeast Asian History Foundation two years after the establishment of the Goguryeo Foundation to study in-depth history of the ancient Goguryeo Kingdom and to deal with the Northeast Project, necessary studies have failed to be conducted.”

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