The Republic of Korea (ROK) expressed deep regret yesterday over the outcome of the Japanese Government's screening of the history textbook for middle school.

Some of the textbooks that have passed the screening process still include contents that rationalize and glorify Japan's past wrongdoings based upon a self-centred interpretation of history, said the ROK Government in a statement issued by the ROK Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry.

The ROK Government "is gravely concerned that the distorted view of history that such textbooks are likely to instill in Japan's growing generation is not only undesirable for Japan's future and its responsibilities in the international community but also highly detrimental to ROK-Japanese relations," the statement said.

The revised textbooks have been condemned for saying that Asian countries actually benefited from Japanese colonial rule by acquiring modern facilities and economic progress.

The new versions also have erased the word "aggression" or have replaced it with "advancement," justifying Japanese invasion of the victim nations.

(Xinhua 04/04/2001)