Public Statements as a Lens on the Korean History Education Society (1955-2024)

This study analyzes 42 public statements of the Korean History Education Society (Yoksa Kyoyuk Yonku Hoe: KHES) to trace shifts in Korea’s history-education discourse. It examines chronological and thematic trends over the past seventy years and, drawing primarily on press coverage, analyzes both the educational issues and the broader sociopolitical questions taken up by KHES.<br/> Educational topics included opposition to the Korea–Japan Treaty, responses to Japanese textbook distortions, curriculum revision disputes, resistance to state-issued textbooks, calls for independence in history education, and controversies over textbook bias and writing standards. Social and international issues ranged from the “comfort women” issue to historical reconciliation debates, anti-distortion laws, and criticism of political appointments. Over time, statements were increasingly co-issued with academic, teacher, and civic groups, and dissemination expanded via media and social media. These records highlight the KHES’s sustained influence on history education governance, content, and public engagement in Korea.