NPAD`s Moon should first clarify his historical view

Rep. Moon Jae-in, head of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, said in his speech demanding withdrawal of the government’s history textbook plan Wednesday, “Publishing state-controlled history textbook is a denial of free democracy,” calling for public resistance. This is part of his rebuttal against the announcement of confirmation made by Prime Minister Hwang Gyo-ahn the previous day, emphasizing that he will do everything he can including filing a constitutional complaint, to stop the plan.

Moon has made it a fait accompli that the yet-to-born state published textbook is pro-Japanese and beautifies dictatorship. In fact, it is doubtful that Moon himself truly thinks that the Korean public will accept such a biased history textbook. The essence of the issue is not about views on Japan and dictatorship. Instead, Moon and the pro-Roh Moo-hyun group seem to be concerned that the new textbook is likely to commend the foundation of the first South Korean government.

Most of the Korean history textbooks widely used today undervalue the establishment of the Korean government and praise the opposition movement. A majority of Korean citizens agree that such a perspective is inappropriate for teaching young students, while few support the government’s plan to publish standardized textbook. South Korea is one of few countries in the world that achieved industrialization and democracy at the same time. It is attributable to the Republic of Korea was founded on the ideology of free democracy. There is no doubt that this decision was right, especially considering how North Korea is faring today.

Former President Roh Moo-hyun evaluated Korea’s modern history as a “humiliating history of injustice and opportunism.” Moon visited the graves of former presidents Rhee Syngman and Park Chung-hee after he was elected the party chairman in February this year, but had refused to do so during the presidential race in 2012. On the Korean liberation day he put up a Facebook post suggesting reappraisal of socialist independence activists. The opposition leader should make clear of his historical views on the foundation of the Korean government before he continues to criticize the new textbook plan.

It was the pro-Roh faction that has leveraged the textbook controversy for their political interest. Moon, more than anyone else, is not in a position to say that the Park Geun-hye administration is triggering an ideology war. Any historical views that undermine the role of the defenders of free democracy in Korea’s history should be corrected by all means.