Chairman Moon Jae-in of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) has warned the government and the ruling Saenuri Party over their push for the reinstatement of state-designated history textbooks.
 
Speaking at the NPAD’s Supreme Council meeting Wednesday, Moon said that the use of nationally standardized history textbooks has been observed only in totalitarian regimes.
 
Moon argued that the move is driven by nostalgia toward the dictatorial Yusin era and the opposition party will have no choice but to wage all-out war to prevent it from happening.  
 
Rep. Jun Byung-hun of NPAD suspected that the ruling block’s move is also part of their efforts to shore up an alliance after the government and the ruling party locked horns over how to nominate candidates for next year’s general elections.
 
Jun said it is wrong and mean-spirited for the ruling camp to use history for political means.