The Chaebol Returns To The Presidency 1967 [EN]: Chapter 171

171. The Black Textbook Incident

OO University, a professor’s office.

The full-time professor greeted the head of Wangwan Publishing with delight.

“Welcome, Editor!”

“Professor, is the manuscript already finished?”

“I fixed 110 places, finishing with an all-nighter. The sooner I hand it over, the easier it will be for the publishing house, right?”

“Oh, we appreciate it.”

What the professor handed over wasn’t a bundle of manuscripts, but the previous year’s government-approved textbook.

“Instead of writing a separate manuscript, I marked the textbook in red.”

“Thank you, Professor!”

The editor took out a wad of cash from his bag and handed it to the professor.

The professor was one of the authors of the government-approved textbook, and he finished writing it in just two hours, pocketing three months’ salary as a manuscript fee.

The publishing house reported to the Ministry of Education that they had fixed 110 places, calling it a ‘newly revised edition’ rather than a revised edition.

The textbook, labeled ‘revised new edition,’ was sold at a price 18% higher than the previous year.

Since textbooks were essential school materials, parents couldn’t refuse to buy them even if the price was high.

*

Parents’ Association.

It was a gathering formed last year. As textbook prices surpassed the inflation rate for several years in a row, a few concerned parents gathered to form the association.

When they protested to the Ministry of Education last year, claiming that textbook publishers were taking excessive profits, the Ministry of Education replied:

– The price increase is due to manuscript fees paid to 5 to 12 professors per subject. We ask for your understanding.

A cost calculation sheet was attached, showing the publisher’s margin added to the manuscript fee, multiplied by the inflation rate.

On paper, it was impossible to refute.

This year, with another 18% increase, they gathered again.

This time, the issue was raised more progressively.

When asked, students said that the content of the textbooks hadn’t changed much, so why were new revised editions being released every year?

So, the Parents’ Association meticulously compared the old and new textbooks to find the changes.

Today was the day when representatives from 15 subjects gathered to announce the changes they had found, each taking charge of one subject.

“There are 129 changes in the Home Economics textbook, but 88 of them are just typos and corrections to the context. Three major headings, 8 minor headings and layout changes, 10 additions of annual statistics to tables or changes in the order of columns, 12 deletions, and 8 changes of pictures and photos with the same content.”

The chairman glared and denounced.

“This isn’t a revision, it’s just typo correction! They’re deceiving us by calling this a revised new edition and selling it at a high price, and preventing us from buying used books.”

“That’s right, Chairman. It’s a very low-level trick.”

“Please announce the contents of other subjects that have been compared.”

Math only changed examples, Korean changed a few passages, and English was the same.

Even science subjects like physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science, where major changes were unlikely, deliberately inflated the number of revisions by changing only experiments or schematic diagrams.

“This isn’t a coincidence, it’s a conspiracy. We need to gather the data and storm the Ministry of Education right away.”

“I think we should file a complaint with the prosecution, not the Ministry of Education. What else is this if not collusion?”

“That’s right. The Ministry of Education’s explanation will be obvious.”

The chairman said.

“Still, we need to file an objection with the Ministry of Education and get an explanation. That way, the Ministry of Education will be held responsible as the higher authority, depending on the results of the investigation.”

*

The Parents’ Association visited the Ministry of Education, systematically organized the revisions, and presented the problems.

However, the response from the Ministry of Education was not much different from before.

The Parents’ Association officially filed a complaint with the prosecution.

And they reported the filing of the complaint to the media.

*

President’s office.

On the desk, the social section of the newspaper had a headline that read:

『- Government-Approved Textbooks Tainted with Bribery –

Textbook authors received bribes from publishers, deliberately modifying content that didn’t need changing, and published new textbooks with inflated prices under the name of revised new editions, taking excessive profits. According to the interim investigation results announced by the prosecution, the unfair profits obtained in this way over the years are estimated to be over 10 billion won [approximately $7.5 million USD]. This is a representative black deal between the academic world and publishers, like a poisonous mushroom that extorts money from parents by holding students hostage. The Parents’ Association, the complainant, has been protesting this fact to the Ministry of Education since last year, but the Ministry of Education has only repeated that there is no problem. Meanwhile, the prosecution is continuing to investigate those involved, and attention is focused on how far the kickback chain is connected.』

The President raised his voice and scolded the Minister of Education.

“Minister, how much did you eat from the publishers?”

The Minister of Education, who was a university president, bowed his head and made excuses.

“No, no. I have never received a single penny, Your Excellency!”

“Did you do this when you were a professor? You were a textbook author!”

“No, Your Excellency!”

“Then you’re saying you didn’t do anything wrong at all? Is this newspaper spreading false rumors?”

“The Ministry of Education admits responsibility for neglecting supervision because it cannot pay attention to textbook revisions one by one, Your Excellency!”

“You couldn’t pay attention?”

“Yes. Because the events that take place in thousands of educational institutions are entrusted to the front lines, I cannot know everything completely. As the person in charge, I apologize for not managing it properly, Your Excellency!”

“You didn’t know about the complaints sent by the Parents’ Association last year and this year? You didn’t receive a report?”

“…….”

“This will all come out if you investigate! You’re supposed to report complaints directly!”

“I did see it, but I told the person in charge of government-approved textbooks to look into it and handle the complaint. I thought it had been explained, but I didn’t know things would get this big.”

“You’re really shameless, Minister!”

“…….”

“I just called the Prosecutor General to find out about the investigation. According to the publishers’ statements, not only related public officials but also the Minister are receiving kickbacks.”

“Yes?”

“Minister! Did you receive kickbacks or not?”

“Well, I did have dinner with them twice. A little travel expenses….”

“How much are the travel expenses?”

“3 million won [approximately $2,250 USD]….”

“You’re not flying a jet, but the car’s gas money is more than double the salary of a public official?”

“I’m sorry, Your Excellency!”

“You’ll be summoned by the prosecution soon, so cooperate with the investigation.”

“Yes? The prosecution?”

“If you break the law, you have to be punished. It’s written in the textbook that criminals are punished. As the Minister of Education, please set an example for the students.”

“Your Excellency!”

“Go back!”

After sending away the Minister, who looked like he was attending his own funeral, he picked up the phone.

– Yes, Your Excellency!

“Prosecutor General, thank you for your hard work investigating the textbook corruption.”

– No, Your Excellency! I’m worried that the shock to parents will damage the government’s credibility, Your Excellency.

“Not at all. It’s right for the government to take the lead in cutting out the rotten parts. It’s not something to be covered up.”

– I feel much lighter now that you say that.

When a powerful person calls during an investigation, it’s often to provide investigation guidelines or to ask for leniency for someone.

But the President said he was doing well, so he couldn’t help but feel empowered.

The President went one step further.

“The reason I called is to report a textbook corruption.”

– Oh, is that so? What is it, Your Excellency?

“The Minister of Education met with publishers and received entertainment and kickbacks of more than 3 million won per meeting. Get a warrant and investigate. I got the statement directly.”

– Directly?

“I laid down the law, and he spilled the beans. Use this opportunity to root it out.”

– I understand, Your Excellency!

He had laid down the law to the Minister of Education, saying it was the content of the prosecution’s investigation that hadn’t even started yet, and got a statement.

*

A few days later, textbook corruption once again decorated the social section of the newspaper.

『- Minister of Education and National Tax Service Employees Received Money and Entertainment from Publishers –

Korea Certified Textbook Co., Ltd. bribed textbook authors, the Ministry of Education, and National Tax Service employees, and received various favors such as price increases for middle and high school certified textbooks, content revisions, and designation as a faithful corporation, taking a huge amount of unfair profits of 10 billion won [approximately $7.5 million USD] and evading taxes for several years. As a result, 105 people, including the Minister of Education, related public officials, authors, and the publisher’s representative, were arrested on charges of violating the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes and bribery.』

Protests from parents towards the Ministry of Education and the government poured in.

“The textbooks that children learn are a hotbed of corruption, so what are they going to teach at school!”

“What will the students learn!”

Parents across the country rose up like wildfire.

*

Cabinet meeting.

The topic was the government-approved textbook scandal.

The Minister of Home Affairs said.

“This happened because we changed the national textbooks to a government-approved textbook system and entrusted the publishing. It’s an abuse of authority. We need to revert to national textbooks.”

The President’s opinion was different.

“The reason we changed to government-approved textbooks was to ensure objectivity by unilaterally injecting the regime’s ideology into national textbooks. It goes against the diversity of perspectives, so we cannot revert to it. In my judgment, the problem is that government-approved textbooks are monopolized. Rather, the original purpose should be revived and become healthier by having third-party private institutions voluntarily create various types of textbooks and compete.”

Everyone agreed with the President’s opinion.

“My thinking was short-sighted, Your Excellency!”

“The parents’ protests are shaking the country. Prime Minister, please step forward and put out the fire.”

“I understand. But I doubt that an apology alone will quiet things down.”

“Let’s bring forward the education reform plan that we were going to announce at the beginning of the year.”

“Ah, that would be a solution.”

*

Government complex.

The Prime Minister made a public apology.

“On behalf of the government, I feel responsible for not properly supervising the corruption committed by publishers and professors who were blinded by their own interests in the Ministry of Education, which should be designing the future of the country.”

He then announced the alternatives.

“In order to prevent recurrence, the initiative for textbook development will be gradually transferred to private institutions, including the Korea Educational Development Institute, and we will reduce the excessive amount of classes and reduce the burden on parents by integrating and reducing subjects.”

The blueprint for education reform was also announced.

“The government will expand the current free education for elementary schools to middle schools starting next year, and to high schools three years later. We will distribute textbooks free of charge starting next year, and we plan to gradually expand free school lunches within five years.”

The government’s sincere apology and the medium- to long-term measures to significantly reduce the burden on parents calmed the parents’ anger.

A few days later, the newspaper published a photo of the Minister of Education, the publisher’s representative, and the textbook authors wearing prison uniforms and standing in court.

* * *

The President was disguised and going incognito with his bodyguards.

Recently, he had been traveling outside the center of Seoul to the suburbs and metropolitan areas.

Vroom~

He took a city bus and watched the lives of the people while driving.

In front of the movie theater, there was a long line of people waiting to see ‘Hometown of Stars’ [a popular film].

“I heard that movie is so much fun, I have to make time to see it.”

The bodyguard said.

“I’ve already seen it. It was really fun.”

On the bus radio, popular singer Na Hoon-a’s ‘The Path Where the Water Mill Turns’ was playing in a folksy way.

Although social problems such as violence due to the competition between the two singers, Nam Jin and Na Hoon-a, arose, it was a phenomenon that popular culture was being 활성화 [invigorated/activated].