By Kang Gahui and Hahm Hee-eun

Korea’s Candlelight Revolution is now part of the curriculum introduced in an Indian textbook.

India’s National Council of Educational and Research and Training (NCERT), which produces federal school textbooks, announced on May 10 that it has included Korea's recent political developments in its newly revised version of its world history textbook. The NCERT textbook for the 11th grade now includes the impeachment of former Korean President Park Geun-hye and the inauguration of President Moon Jae-in.

The textbook explains that, "The 2016 Candlelight Revolution showcased the maturity of Korea’s democracy, as it was peacefully led by citizens within the framework of democratic institutions and laws.” It also says that, “Economic development was the main source of establishing democracy in Korea, but the citizens’ heightened political awareness have also taken part in promoting Korea’s republicanism.”

Moreover, it states that last year’s inauguration of President Moon Jae-in is a third "peaceful regime change" in Korea, after President Kim Dae-jung came to office in 1997 and then with President Lee Myung-bak in 2008.

In particular, in Chapter Eleven "Paths to Modernization," the textbook spends six pages describing the process of political and economic modernization that took place in Korea starting with the formal end of Joseon in 1910.

The NCERT textbooks have already been distributed to schools starting last month and are being used in classes starting this semester.


kgh89@korea.kr