▲ Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations
The Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA) urged the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education on October 22 to cancel an upcoming lecture next week by Hwang Hyun-pil, head of the History Correction Research Institute, targeted at students, faculty, and parents.
In a press release issued that day, the KFTA stated, "Lectures hosted by an office of education must undergo thorough reviews regarding the lecturer's expertise, as well as the educational appropriateness, historical accuracy, and political neutrality of the lecture content."
The KFTA added, "The importance of history education depends above all on historical facts and fairness, and we must recognize the reality that the theme of the 'importance of history education' has already been overshadowed by controversies surrounding the lecturer's bias and history of partisan remarks."
Kang Joo-ho, president of the KFTA, emphasized, "The Office of Education must seriously recognize that this could cause conflict and complaints among members, shifting the burden onto schools, and should immediately cancel the lecture. Moving forward, consistent standards must be applied to any invited guests, and reviews by experts in relevant fields should be conducted when necessary."
According to the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, Hwang is scheduled to deliver a lecture under the theme "History as History, Education as Education" at the 2026 Gyeonggi Education Great Transformation Renowned Figures Invitation Lecture Series, to be held on October 28 at the main auditorium of the southern provincial office.
However, teachers' complaints calling for a change of lecturer have continued, taking issue with Hwang's past political and historical remarks.
In a past lecture, Hwang sparked controversy by making remarks implying that the Korean War was "a war instigated by the United States." At the time, he explained through his YouTube channel that it was "devilish editing that cut out the context."
(Photo provided by the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, Yonhap News)
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