‘6th Ihochol Unification Road Literary Award Winning Authors Press Conference’ Held

<본상> Acceptance Speech and Q&A with Yan Lenkor from China, <특별상> Jang Mari Expresses Hope Bloomed Amid Disadvantages and Wounds Through Their Works

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) held the ‘6th Lee Ho-cheol Tongillo Literary Award Winners Press Conference’ at 2 p.m. on the 28th at the Press Center conference room.

Now in its 6th year, the ‘Lee Ho-cheol Tongillo Literary Award’ was established by Eunpyeong-gu in 2017 to honor the literary activities and spirit of hope for reunification of the late writer Lee Ho-cheol, a representative figure in reunification literature who worked in Bulgwang-dong, Eunpyeong-gu for over 50 years.

The ‘Lee Ho-cheol Tongillo Literary Award’ annually selects writers who strive to overcome issues such as race, discrimination, violence, and war through literary practice, gaining increasing attention.

The press conference was held with the 6th main prize winner, Chinese writer Yan Lianke, and the special prize winner, Korean writer Jang Mari.

Yan Lianke, who received the main prize, is a leading Chinese novelist known for resisting state and systemic violence, making fundamental and universal human values the main driving force of his creations, and possessing a spirit that does not yield to any sanctions or disadvantages. His major work, "The Four Books," is a masterpiece depicting human figures during the Cultural Revolution. It contains the author’s efforts to restore the memories and records of the people who were banned and denied under the name of ‘revolutionizing culture’ through literary language and to heal historical wounds. It was selected as the main prize because it most closely aligns with the truth of resistance that writer Lee Ho-cheol sought to reach.

Yan Lianke said in his acceptance speech, “As a writer, I want to pursue pure writing for literature itself, not to chase honors. Like the literary spirit shown by Lee Ho-cheol, I will live my later years trying to keep a distance from an absurd world and protect universal human love and ideal literature.”

Jang Mari, who received the special prize, expressed social issues and shadows through her works based on very concrete awareness of problems and thorough research. Her major work, "Siberian Strangers," deals with a rare recent theme that asks and makes readers think about what it means to be human. It interestingly portrays the ideals and struggles for survival of young subjects in a divided country, and existential anguish beyond ideology. It was selected for the special prize for expanding the imaginative horizon of Korean literature while expressing hope blossoming from wounds.

Jang Mari said, “Living in a small city called Iksan in Jeonbuk, I felt the limitations of being a local writer surrounded by myself. When my self-esteem as a novelist hit rock bottom, I heard the story of ‘North Koreans working as lumberjacks in Siberia.’ I completed the work through direct research in Siberia, and expressing hope blossoming from wounds in the work, I accept the special prize of the Lee Ho-cheol Tongillo Literary Award, which I never imagined, as a meaning to return to my original intention as a writer and become a sincere writer,” sharing her acceptance remarks.

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, “I thank the two writers for dedicating themselves to overcoming problems such as conflict, violence, and war through literary works,” and added, “Please continue to show interest in the Lee Ho-cheol Tongillo Literary Award so that it can contribute to spreading the values of peace and harmony.”

The Lee Ho-cheol Tongillo Literary Award ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. on the 29th at the Jingwansa Korean Culture Experience Center, followed by a ‘Meeting with the Main Prize Winner’ at 2 p.m. The ‘Meeting with the Special Prize Winner’ is scheduled for 3 p.m. on October 6 at the Jungsan Public Information Library.

Meanwhile, the past winners of the Lee Ho-cheol Tongillo Literary Award are ▲2017 1st Main Prize: Korean-Japanese Kim Seok-beom for "Hwasando," Special Prize: Kim Soom for "One Person" ▲2018 2nd Main Prize: Palestinian Sahar Khalifa for "Prickly Cactus," Special Prize: Song Kyung-dong for "I Am Not Korean" ▲2019 3rd Main Prize: Somali Nuruddin Farah for "Maps," Special Prize: Kim Jong-kwang for "Let's Go Play" ▲2020 4th Main Prize: Indian Arundhati Roy for "The God of Small Things," Special Prize: Kim Hye-jin for "Nine Times Work" ▲2021 5th Main Prize: German Jenny Erpenbeck for "When All Evenings Are Dark," Special Prize: Shim Yoon-kyung for "Eternal Legacy.”