U.S. Stand For Korea On Japanese Textbook Issue

In addition to the Chinese President Jiang Zemin`s concerns about the Japanese rejection to rectify the distorted textbooks, James Kelly, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia & Pacific Affairs, expressed yesterday its support to the Korean position on this issue. In consequence, the Japanese distorted historical textbook is becoming a hot issue of the international society.

The political parties are cooperating with each other to adopt ``the resolution for the revision of the distorted Japanese historical textbooks`` in the National Assembly. And the government is encouraged to utilize this situation shrewdly to solve this chronic problem with Japan.

According to Rep. Park Won-Hong of the Grand National Party, James Kelly, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia & Pacific Affairs, expressed his support to Korea, stating that ``I agree with the Korean position that Japan did not carry out an appropriate measure.``

Mr. Kelly expressed the U.S. concern on this issue, saying ``Japan must resolve the problems of the textbooks`` and revealed his anxiety about `the consequent problems when many schools select [the distorted historical textbooks.]`

The ruling and opposing parties set out for the introduction of the resolution regarding the Japanese distorted textbooks during the plenary session. The resolution is known to include the pan-nation boycott of the Japanese products, the suspension of the Japanese cultural market opening, the discontinuation of the high official exchange, and the rejection to the Japanese entry into the permanent member of the UN Security Council.

The government circle is also considering the legislation of the entry prohibition of the Japanese persons who are related with the history distortion.

Meanwhile, the first official response of the Korean government to the Japanese rejection to rectify its distorted historical textbooks seems to be the indefinite postponement of the opening of Japanese cultural products market. In addition, the government is considering the suspension of the military exchange programs, such as the exchange of the military cadets. The government will decide such measures at the meetings of the countermeasure teams related with the Japanese historical textbook distortion. Choi Hee-Sun Education vice-Minister will preside the meetings in the Central Government Complex tomorrow.

In addition, the government will request UNESCO, which is famous for its credibility on the resolution of the disputes about the historical and geographical textbooks, for the arbitration of this issue. The government is also considering a counter-refutation against the Japanese pretexts for the rejection to the rectification of the 35 requested items.

Moon Chul fullmoon@donga.com