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Court orders suspension of 'biased' history textbook
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Sept. 2, (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court ordered a major textbook publisher on Wednesday to stop publishing a high school history book that was revised last year without consent from the authors to include what they called "leftist" perspectives.
The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of the five authors, who claimed that Kumsung Publishing Co. infringed upon their copyright by making changes to the book without consulting them.
"History textbooks should not be revised under political influence without consent from the authors," said Kim Han-jong, one of the authors and a professor at Korea National University of Education. "Starting next year, (the education ministry) will distribute a modified version to reflect the authors' intentions."
Kumsung, which publishes various textbooks for high schools nationwide, submitted a revised edition of its history textbook to the education ministry in December last year despite the authors' protests. The book also drew heavy criticism from right-wing politicians and activists.
At that time, the education ministry had approved a total of 206 revisions to modern history in six textbooks, including the Kumsung book, which have been used since the beginning of the new academic year in March.
Since the conservative Lee Myung-bak government took office in early 2008, a number of right-wing groups have called for changes to how critical segments of Korea's turbulent modern history are viewed in textbooks.
ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
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