Middle school students in Guatemala can read the iconic Korean folktales "Simcheongjeon" (The Tale of Simcheong) and "Chunhyangjeon" (The Tale of Chunhyang) in public school textbooks. Shown here are both stories presented in a Guatemalan online textbook. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

By Park Hye Ri and Kim Hayeon 

Middle school students in Guatemala can read the iconic Korean folk tales "Simcheongjeon" (The Tale of Simcheong) and "Chunhyangjeon" (The Tale of Chunhyang) in public school textbooks.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul on Oct. 19 said the two tales last month were included in online textbooks used by Guatemalan middle schools. 

Written in Korean during the Joseon Dynasty, "Simcheongjeon" is the classic story of a filial daughter who throws herself into the sea to offer 300 seok of rice (43,200 kg) to a temple so that her blind father can regain his sight.   

"Chunhyangjeon" is a love story between Yi Mongryong, the son of a yangban (aristocrat), and Seong Chunhyang, a woman from a destitute family.  

The ministry said this result was part of efforts with the Academy of Korean Studies to develop and enrich Korea-related content in textbooks abroad.

Before, Guatemalan middle and high school textbooks said nearly little about Korea or presented the country as poor after the Korean War. The ministry, however, said it expects the Central American country's new textbooks to enhance Korea's image through information on Korea's development, leading folktales and classic literature. 

After the COVID-19 situation stabilizes, the two books will be printed and distributed to 500,000 middle school students in Guatemala. 

Recently, the Korean Embassy in Georgia greatly improved content on Korea in three Georgian history textbooks whose distribution began this month. The Korean Embassy in Honduras in June also posted a webtoon on modern Korean history on domestic online educational platforms.

The ministry pledged to continue efforts to share and expand the correct image and understanding of Korea to future generations around the world. 

hrhr@korea.kr