A group of 106 lawmakers have submitted a draft resolution to National Assembly Speaker Lee Man-sup denouncing the Japanese government's move to issue school textbooks which distort Japan's military aggression in Asia before and during World War II by portraying it as a war of liberation.

In the resolution, Reps. Lee Nak-yon of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party, Kim Won-wung of the major opposition Grand National Party and others expressed concerns that the textbooks, intended for use in Japanese middle schools in 2002, distort the motivation and purpose of Japan's past military campaigns in Asia.

He also said... it neglects to accurately depict the myriad of human rights abuses committed by Japanese soldiers.

The draft resolution said... this distortion of history is not only a challenge to all the peoples of Asian countries that suffered from Japan's militarism, but is also an affront to all of the people of the world who wish for democracy and peace.

The draft also calls for the government to reconsider plans to further open the country's cultural market to Japan. In addition, it stipulates that Japan's king should not be termed "Emperor" in official documents until Japan takes measures to redress the textbook issue.