Recently, the government has pushing to make Korean history an obligatory subject on the College Scholastic Ability Test. Many people are divided about this policy.



The lack of historical consciousness among high school students is a problem. According to a survey by the Seoul Newspaper and Jinhaksa in June, which targeted 506 high school students, 349 students (69%) answered the survey’s history questions incorrectly. The more historical consciousness we have, the stronger the historical identity of our country will be. Therefore, making Korean history an obligatory subject on the Korean SAT has to be implemented.

The first reason is helping students to get a job. GS Caltex has set history questions on its employment exam since 2008. Only applicants who pass the Korean history test can get a chance to interview. Also, MBC and Hyundai automobile company set history questions on their employment exams. For example, one of the questions is “Who is your favorite great person in the Koryo and Joseon dynasties? Write about his or her life and accomplishments.” History questions on employment exams are based on a basic knowledge of high school history textbooks. Formerly, employment exams focused on language, math, and thinking ability. However, these days, the trend in employment exams is focused on humanistic ability with history essays and a Korean history test. Furthermore, diverse companies including Woori Bank and Incheon International Airport give applicants who have a history exam certification from 3 to 5 percent additional points. Therefore, the basic study of Korean history in high school will be a great advantage for getting a job.

The second reason is the knowledge we get from studying history in high school can also be used effectively in the workplace. Moon Sung-hyun, who is a worker in GS Caltex, surprised Indian buyers by explaining Korean history related to India. After an official meeting, the buyers said, “We (Korea and India) are one.” He said, “Knowing about Korean history related to India was really helpful.” Ryu Seung-hoon, who works in the department of base oil marketing in GS Caltex also experienced a similar situation. When he went to the Yeosu petroleum refining complex with Japanese buyers, he explained the turtle ship and Admiral Yi Sun-shin in detail. The Japanese buyers paid attention to him more than before. These two men got a successful result in their work. Knowing about Korean history can be a big help in the workplace.

Making Korean history an obligatory subject on the Korean SAT will help students to get a job, and the knowledge we get from studying history in high school can also be used effectively in the workplace. For students in the twenty-first century, the study of history is necessary. Therefore, making Korean history an obligatory subject on the Korean SAT has to be implemented.





Many students are not sure about historical events. President Park Geun-hye said recently that she was worried about the young generation’s increasing ignorance of our history. Because of students’ ignorance of Korean history, the government and ruling party vowed to make Korean history an obligatory subject on the College Scholastic Ability Test from 2017. However, Korean history should not be an obligatory subject.

First of all, the purpose of learning Korean history should not be just for a score on the College Scholastic Ability Test. Korean history is not just a subject to memorize. The reason why students have to learn Korean history is found in the author Michael Crichton’s saying, “If you don’t know history, then you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree.” This suggests that if we don’t know our history, we might lose our identity and traditions. If Korean history is designated an obligatory subject on the SAT, students will just memorize a list of historical events. However, history education should focus on cultivating proper historical consciousness.

Second, the teaching methods to teach Korean history need improvement before the extension of class hour. Students’ knowledge of history will not be better by spending more time on history class. The government announced high school Korean history class hours will be extended from 5 hours to 6 hours per week. However, students already study Korean history a lot more than any other social classes and learn history 3 times from elementary to high school. The direction of history education should not be focused on the extension of class hours, but on teaching methods such as free discussions or team projects. Therefore, the classes must be led by reforming the education system effectively than the extension of class hours.

Third, the private teaching of history will increase. A Korean history score will be needed for university admission from 2017. Consequently, many students will require private teaching for Korean history like other obligatory subjects such as Korean and mathematics. The Education Ministry investigated the field of private education in 2011. According to the investigation, students spent over 1.5 trillion won on Korean, 5.9 trillion won on mathematics, and 6.7 trillion won on English, which are obligatory subjects. However, the amount spent on Korean history was 100 billion, when it was not an obligatory subject. Oh Jong-un, an entrance examination expert in ETOOS, a popular private education company, said, “If Korean history becomes an obligatory subject on the SAT, the private education market will be bigger than now, similar to Korean, mathematics, and English.” This will give an unfair opportunity to students who can afford private education.

Having proper historical awareness is important. However, the education system must be improved before designating Korean history an obligatory subject. Teachers should find ways to make history interesting to students, and this would involve discussions on historical issues, not forcing students to memorize historical events without full understanding. Moreover, it should not cause an increase of unfair opportunities in education. Therefore, making Korean history an obligatory subject is not a good idea.