President Lee's Autobiography on Middle School Summer Reading List? School to Review After Complaints

'My Boy Worker Diary' and '1020: The Rise of the Far Right' Included

School Says "We Will Review the Recommended Reading List"

A middle school in Gangdong-gu, Seoul has sparked controversy by including President Lee Jae-myung’s autobiography on its list of recommended summer reading. As political bias became a concern, the school decided to review the list of recommended books.

According to Yonhap News on July 24, the middle school distributed the "Summer Vacation Book Recommendation List" to students on July 21. The list included recommended books in a variety of subjects such as ethics, Korean language, mathematics, social studies, and history. However, it became controversial when it was revealed that the list featured President Lee’s autobiography, 'My Boy Worker Diary,' as well as '1020: The Rise of the Far Right,' a book by Jung Minchul, vice chairperson of the Democratic Party of Korea’s Policy Committee.

'My Boy Worker Diary' is a book based on approximately ten years of diaries written by President Lee, from his days as a sixteen-year-old boy worker to his time at the Judicial Research and Training Institute. '1020: The Rise of the Far Right,' authored by Vice Chairperson Jung, addresses the increasing rightward shift among young people in their teens and twenties.

Cover of President Lee Jae-myung's autobiography 'My Boy Worker Diary'. Yes24

As news of this spread, posts certifying the filing of complaints with the Office of Education quickly appeared on social networking services. There were also calls to protest by sharing the school office’s contact information, urging people to call and complain. The school reportedly received complaints such as, “Why is the school recommending books by politicians from a specific party?” and “Is it appropriate for students to be told to read a book written by a sitting president?”

A school official stated, “Among those making complaint calls, there were hardly any parents; most appeared to be outsiders or third parties.” The official added, “We will reconvene the book selection committee to review the list.” Ultimately, the school sent a notice to parents that day, stating, “We will revise the list by supplementing it with books suitable for each stage of students’ development and inform you again.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.