뉴스레터

Yoo Gi-hong, Chairman of the National Assembly Education Committee

He graduated from Seoul National University and is the chairman of the 21st National Assembly Education Committee. He served as a joint representative of 「Congress for the Right History Education」, 「Special committee for the preparation of measures against the protection of Dokdo and the distortion of history」, and 「Special committee for the preparation of measures for distortion of history in Northeast Asia」.

Yoo Gi-hong proposed ‘Resolution to urge Japan to stop distortion of history textbooks’, ‘Resolution calling for compensation for Sexual slavery victims for the Japanese imperial army, Sakhalin detainees and victims of atomic bombs excluded from the 1965 Korea-Japan Agreement’, ‘Resolution calling for Japan to cancel approval of elementary and high school textbooks that distorted Dokdo-related content’, ‘The Special Act on the Investigation of the Korean Massacre in the Kanto Earthquake, and restoration of honor of victims’.

Q1. I'm happy to have a special conversation with you for 2021. There seems to be readers who wonder what the National Assembly Education Committee does and what the role of the chairman is. Please introduce yourself to the readers.

A1. The National Assembly monitors the administration, and the National Assembly Education Committee deals with policies on education. So we closely examine and inspect the policies, bills, and budgets implemented by the Ministry of Education. Through legislation on education policy, we do things that lay the foundations for education. For example, we have an inspection of various organizations such as the Northeast Asian History Foundation, the UNESCO Committee, and the National Institute of Korean History. As the chairman of the education committee, I am fully checking the things I have just said, and I am working to coordinate and lead the education community by gathering opinions from the ruling and opposition parties, the Ministry of Education, the association, and civic groups.

Q2. After taking office as chairman, I think you have made a lot of efforts to change the education field. What if there's one of the most memorable achievements?

A2. The crisis caused by Covid-19 is something we have never experienced before. The education community was directly hit by a bomb. As soon as I took office as the chairman of the education committee, I had to solve the tasks left by Covid-19 in the education field, such as remote learning and smart classroom introduction. But I thought we should not stop in overcoming the crisis, but take it as an opportunity to advance future education. So, to activate the remote learning, we revised the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Higher Education Act, and Private School Act. That is the most memorable thing.

There are also some deficiencies in the current remote learning. But interactive classes have made customized education possible and made many changes. In the future, we should focus on cultivating creative talents suitable for the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. I will continue to support the realization of many possibilities and to create a global model of remote learning.

Q3. Is there a reason why you proposed <Act on the Establishment and Operation of NAHF>?

It dates back to 2004 a long time ago. At that time, China began to actively defend the Korean-Chinese autonomous region in preparation for the unification of Korea and the rapid change of Northeast Asia. And they incorporated the history of Goguryeo and Balhae into their history and distorted the whole history. They were going to register Dongkyungseong in Balhae as UNESCO World Heritage and try to strengthen their substantial occupation of Mt. Baekdu. I saw these situations as China's expansionism. And I thought that the issue of legitimacy of past history was very concerning because it could expand to the problems of the present and the future. Sadly, there was a kind of oral agreement between China and Korea when this Northeast Project became a public concern. “The problem of distortion of Goguryeo history was solved by academic research and should not be politicized.”

However ‘Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ has already deleted Korean ancient history from Chinese middle school textbooks. So I thought it was the right direction to establish a permanent system to systematically and continuously respond to the historical disputes about Northeast Asia. The system has developed policies by studying and analyzing Northeast Asian history, distortions of history textbooks in each country, and Dokdo issues in-depth and comprehensively. So it was to contribute to inspiring the right historical consciousness and ultimately to lay the foundations for establishing the right history.

As I entered the Department of Korean History at Seoul National University with my dream of becoming a historian, my interest in history is actually in line with the beginning of my youth. Although I was not a historian, I have believed that my affection and interest in our history supported my consciousness. I have never been indifferent to history in my life. Therefore, it was very natural for me to always take the lead in various internal and external issues related to history. I am proud of my efforts to empower the role of NAHF established to understand the history of Northeast Asia.

In that sense, it is a little bit disappointing to see the operation of NAHF in the National Assembly Education Committee. If the last decade of NAHF was the process of building the foundation, I think it is time to leap. Please be active. I will also help as the person who tried to establish NAHF.

Q4. So you think that long-term strained relations between Korea and Japan will change or progress? What should the two countries try?

A4. Although it has been more than 100 days since Suga Yoshihide took office, the issue of diplomacy and trade is not showing any signs of improving relations. However, the Japanese government has also faced challenges such as overcoming the economic crisis caused by Covid-19 and hosting the Tokyo Olympics. So there is room for improvement in relations between the two countries. Also, there is expectation for improvement of Korea-Japan relations ahead of the launch of the Biden administration in the United States, so Japan will need momentum.

The historical issues of Korea and Japan are still in a state of stagnation due to differences in perception. But we need to restore relationship pragmatically through dialogue. Therefore, we should strive to promote the economy, culture, tourism and exchanges between the two countries by dividing past history and current issues into two tracks. I am a member of the National Assembly Korea-Japan Parliamentary Federation, and I am trying to improve my relationship steadily through various channels such as the National Assembly, the government, and private organizations.

Q5. But the Japanese government is still distorting history textbooks and claiming the sovereignty over Dokdo. How should we deal with it?

A5. In the past, President Roh Moo-hyun responded to the issue of distortion of history textbooks and the visit to TWS in order to protect sovereignty through a special presidential discourse on the relationship between Korea and Japan. He considered Japan's claim of sovereignty over Dokdo as an claim to colonial territory. In other words, the Dokdo issue is not a territorial issue but a matter of establishing sovereignty. The claim that Dokdo is their territory is a rude step to trample the pride of our nation.

Japan has enacted the so-called ‘Takeshima Day’ through the Shimane Prefecture resolution to meet the revival of militarism and the desire to dominate the world. The distortion of history textbooks, which depict colonial rule as 'inroad' rather than 'invasion', is to overcome the masochistic view of history of 'war criminal' that caused the Pacific War. And the amendment of the Peace Constitution is intended to become a global military power.

I have emphasized that the distortion of history textbooks in Japan and the absurd remarks related to Dokdo are not merely a movement of civilian groups or some right-wing forces, but a total link between the Japanese government and the LDP. This is because it is a matter of sovereignty beyond diplomatic issues. Let's keep in mind that Japan's claim to Dokdo is fundamentally denying Korea's independence and friendly relations between the two countries. We must clearly declare that Dokdo is under the sovereignty of the Republic of Korea.

As I have already mentioned, the relationship with the Japanese government should be operated on a two-track basis. We need to warn and protest against history and Dokdo issues, and we need to implement flexible strategies through continuous dialogue. I also think that active diplomatic activities toward the international community should be combined. It is also true that our activities are less than Japan in this field.

Q6. NAHF has set up part of the budget and site for the relocation of the Dokdo Museum Seoul, thanks to the efforts of the National Assembly Education Committee. What should NAHF focus on in the future?

A6. Considering the importance of Dokdo, we know that the Dokdo Museum Seoul does not meet the public's interest in scale, accessibility, and facilities. In the past three years, the number of visitors has stagnated at an average of 34,000. Many people do not know where it is, and even do not know its existence, so they have never been to the Dokdo Museum Seoul. This is not just a problem caused by hardware. As the museum expands and relocates, it is time to promote more actively and develop programs steadily. You need to develop your operations and management. As the chairman of the education committee, I will strive to secure the budget and to provide continuous attention and support.

Q7. What did NAHF do well or do wrong last year?

A7. I think it is very good that NAHF has actively acted as a national agency that responds to historical distortion. I commend NAHF for its objective and balanced work on Pre-modern Korean History and European History as the central body of research on history and territory. And I highly appreciate that NAHF has studied the Japanese invasion of Korea, sexual slavery victims for the Japanese imperial army and forced mobilization in depth and presented the basis for responding to historical distortions. In particular, it is a good example of the public sector that monitored and investigated how the East Sea and Dokdo are notated on the websites operated by public institutions under the Ministry of Education, and corrected the wrong notation.

However, I know that NAHF should be more active in translating the results of the history study into foreign languages ​​and promoting it overseas.Sharing the achievements of history research and the right historical perceptions not only in Korea but around the world is one of NAHF's goals; therefore, NAHF will have to come up with a solution to this.And NAHF should correct the problem of hiring women as contract workers, not full-time positions.

It is not easy to keep and develop history. But we must keep our history together. Please study Northeast Asian history and the notation of Dokdo and the East Sea more actively in the future. So I hope that NAHF will establish a right history and resolve historical conflicts, and achieve peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia.