Amid Democratic Party Offensive, Education Ministry Responds Before Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education... "Recommends Replacing Hwang Hyun-pil as Lecturer"

As the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education proceeds with its scheduled lecture by Hwang Hyun-pil, director of the Institute for Correct History, amid controversy over historical distortion, Education Minister Choi Kyou-jin has also indicated his position to recommend changing the lecturer in response to repeated calls for withdrawal from the Democratic Party.

According to the National Assembly and Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education on the 23rd, the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education will hold a "2026 Gyeonggi Education Transformation Celebrity Lecture" on the 28th at the Grand Hall of the Southern Headquarters, where Director Hwang will deliver a lecture titled "History as History Should Be, Education as Education Should Be." The expected attendance is approximately 500 people, including students, parents, and school staff.

However, after the lecture plan was announced to various schools on the 16th, some teachers raised concerns about Director Hwang's past statements and political bias, demanding a lecturer change. The Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union also urged cancellation of the lecture and establishment of lecturer selection standards on the 22nd.

In response, Minister Choi answered at a comprehensive national audit by the Education Committee of the National Assembly on the same day. When Democratic Party lawmaker Jeong Seong-guk pointed out that Director Hwang had previously made statements suggesting that the Korean War was started by the United States, questioning the appropriateness of the lecture invitation, Minister Choi responded, "It would be right to reconsider."

When asked whether Minister Choi considered that historical perspective valid, he replied, "It is not valid," and stated, "If there has been no reflection or denial regarding past views, I will recommend to Superintendent An Min-seok that we consider changing the lecturer to avoid any misunderstanding."

The Democratic Party's Gyeonggi Provincial Chapter also issued a statement in the name of party representatives on the same day, criticizing both the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education and Rep. Bu Seung-chan of the Democratic Party.

They invoked Article 6 of the Education Basic Act regarding the principle of political neutrality and urged the immediate withdrawal of Director Hwang's lecture. They also pointed out that Rep. Bu invited Director Hwang as the first lecturer for the "Democratic Academy."

They further stated, "It is also inappropriate that Rep. Bu, who recently caused controversy through statements regarding fire department finances at the National Audit, invited Director Hwang as a lecturer," and demanded an apology.

Democratic Party members of the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly also held a press conference on the same day to urge withdrawal of the lecture.

The provincial assembly's Democratic Party questioned Director Hwang's past statements regarding the Korean War and argued that "inviting a figure involved in historical distortion controversy as an official lecturer at a public education institution is inappropriate."

In particular, noting that the lecture was also "recommended as a linked activity of a learning community of history and social studies teachers," they demanded cancellation of the lecture and disclosure of the selection process and criteria for lecturers.

Director Hwang has previously clarified regarding his past statements on the Korean War that he has never denied North Korea's invasion of the South and that the context of his remarks was misreported.