Lead author of state-issued history textbook quits on sexual harassment scandal

Lead author of state-issued history textbook quits on sexual harassment scandal. November. 07, 2015 09:21. foryou@donga.com.

One of the two leading authors of state-published history textbooks resigned Friday, just two days after his appointment, over a sexual harassment allegation. The Committee for the Compilation of National History, which is in charge of the state-issued history textbook publication, confirmed Friday that professor emeritus Choi Mong-ryong of Seoul National University had offered to resign and that the panel had decided to accept his resignation.

Choi allegedly sexually harassed a female journalist, who visited him at his Seoul residence for an interview on Wednesday after he was named a leading author. On Friday, he claimed to the Dong-A Ilbo that he remembered drinking alcohol but not sexually harassing the journalist or having a physical contact with her. He added that he had decided to step down in order to not to become a stumbling block in the government`s efforts to publish state-issued history textbooks. Choi also visited the head of the history committee and the journalist`s newspaper company to offer an apology.

The government`s textbook publication plan has hit a snag due to Choi`s resignation. Shin Hyung-sik, a professor emeritus at Ewha Womans University, is the only leading author left among those announced by the committee.