Here is an editorial in the Chosun Ilbo that only further validates my belief of how Korean children’s ability to critically think is hampered by their own educational system that allows nonsense like this to be taught in the classroom:
The North Chungcheong Province chapter of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union posted on its Internet homepage materials its member teachers can use to get students to oppose the import of U.S. beef. The material says mad cow disease stems from greedy Americans who raise cattle in “very unsanitary” conditions by keeping them holed up in pens. The chapter of the left-wing teachers’ union instructed members to pick up copies of visual materials and CDs related to mad cow disease. Postings by visitors on the union’s homepage include claims that instant noodles, pills, sanitary napkins and even chocolate snacks can transmit mad cow disease. [Chosun Ilbo]
Read the rest because there is much more classroom nonsense going on in regards to the US beef issue. What is really funny about the claims against American cows is that they are perfectly describing the conditions that the majority of Korean cows live in; not that the students have developed the critical thinking skills to realize this.
The nonsense in the classrooms doesn’t end with the spread of US beef lies, but Korean teachers have been spreading lies about the Iraq War as well, such as 6,000 Iraqi soldiers being buried alive by American soldiers.
This all shouldn’t be surprising considering the KTU are the same pro-North Korean stooges that consistently teach North Korean propaganda and anti-Americanism in their classrooms to include celebrating the 9/11 attacks.
7:07 am on May 9th, 2008 1
Hopefully Pres. Lee’s education reforms will weaken or eliminate the Teacher’s Union.
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9:44 am on May 9th, 2008 2
I hope so as well but I’m not exactly convinced Lee is going to take the tough measures necessary to crackdown on these Nork stooges considering all the flack he is taking on the US beef issue now.
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3:10 pm on May 9th, 2008 3
Lee is a very sneaky one. I like Kim DJ and Roe Moo Hun more becuase they made their hatred for the USA and Japan and China clear. LMB is much more sneaky. He is sneaky like the devil.
I heard Koreans almost (they have never really invented anything but almost) invented brainwashing, so this is nothing new.
Its too bad the American press wont talk about this. Too many Kyopos in the USA…. honest reporting about Korea will get protests.
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10:49 pm on May 9th, 2008 4
Shattered,
I can tell you that Koreans (in the North) have indeed perfected brain washing. Just read the book “Tears of my Soul” by Kim Hyun-Hee. I read the Korean edition and it is really an eye opener.
Brain washing doesn’t only happen in the North sadly. Not to say all Koreans are affected by it but many are. Many younger Koreans think (through teaching at primary school) Americans are their biggest enemy. A poll conducted at a ROK military institute amongst the graduates stated almost 40% believed the USA to be the biggest threat to the ROK. The Korean Teacher’s Association has been doing a great job at filling students with hatred.
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1:39 am on May 10th, 2008 5
I think we have just seen from the Cows Gone Wild affair, Lee and the GNP will not fight to keep a strong mandate like they might have tried after their two big election victories.
I thought the opposition groups would fight hard right out of the gate but it seemed at first like they were going to take their loses to heart and think about moving more toward the center.
But, now it is clear they were just gathering strength.
We can also see that they have scored with the beef issue.
They have gained enough favor in the press and among the general population to make the GNP think it has been knocked back on its heels.
As I think Subie mentioned elsewhere, this is all part of politics in South Korean society — and it isn’t hard for an American to understand, because we often like split-government (where one party isn’t totally in control) —
—- but — unfortunately — opposition politics in South Korea revolves too much around sticking it to the US in Korea.
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2:31 am on May 10th, 2008 6
[...] Click here to read more. Click here to return to Korea Click here to return to MySpace News. [...]
12:30 pm on May 10th, 2008 7
[...] These kids don’t really know what they are talking about. They learn all of this crap from their parents and teachers. The teachers are some of the worst for spreading anti-American, anti-foreigner BS propaganda! http://rokdrop.com/2008/05/09/spreading-anti-americanism-in-korean-classrooms/ [...]
11:04 am on May 14th, 2008 8
Young Southerner Views on North Korea and Reunification…
A reader in Glasgow, Scotland sends in the following questions:
What do you think the feeling is of the younger generation within South Korea to North Korea?
What do you think the general feeling amongst younger South Koreans towards reunification?
…
6:59 am on July 11th, 2008 9
[...] Personally I don’t think the textbooks are the biggest problem though they are an issue. The biggest problem is the teachers themselves. [...]