Examples of ‘The Development of Korea’
in Dutch textbooks
This chapter introduces the process of including
the development of Korea in Dutch textbooks.
1) Explanation of the Republic of Korea
as previously written in Dutch textbooks
<Photo explaining the Republic of Korea
in Dutch publisher ‘ThiemeMeulenhoff (TF)’’s
geography textbooks for Primary School Students
before the revision>
‘The Republic of Korea is bordered by the sea,
so The fishing industry is important in Korea
and fish prepped by cheap wages are sold.’
‘The fish sold at our supermarket is Korean.’
The Netherlands and the Republic of Korea were friendly countries with
considerable trade and exchange, but the Dutch knew very little about
the Republic of Korea at the time.
Why did they do that?
One of the reasons is that the Republic of Korea is not properly described
in Dutch textbooks, so it was not an environment for Dutch people to
learn Korean information properly.
Until the textbooks were newly revised in 2012-2013, 70 percent of all
Dutch textbooks did not even describe the word “Korea.”
Even 30 percent of textbooks describing “Korea” did not contain proper
information about the Republic of Korea.
When other East Asian countries were explained in Dutch textbooks,
China was introduced in 12 pages, Japan in four pages, and Southeast
Asian countries in three pages.
Unlike that, ‘Korea’ was only explained in two lines.
To properly inform the Republic of Korea’s elevated status and potential,
The project “Inform the Republic of Korea in Dutch Textbooks” was
launched to immediately inform the Republic of Korea by adding
the Republic of Korea-related content to Dutch textbooks.