Yoon In-chon: "Pulitzer Prize Winner Woo Il-yeon, Original in Historical and Human Interpretation"

"Insight into the Era with a Sharp Perspective"

Yoon In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, sent a congratulatory message on the 9th to Korean-American writer Woo Il-yeon, who won the Pulitzer Prize in the biography category for "Master Slave Husband Wife." He stated, "With an original interpretation of history and humanity and excellent writing, you have drawn the empathy of countless readers," and "We applaud the valuable fruits born from your relentless agony and passion." He also encouraged, "Together with the people of the Republic of Korea, we will support you to continue being a beloved writer with sharp insight and writing that transcends the times."

"Master Slave Husband Wife" is a nonfiction work about the Kraft couple, who disguised themselves as a plantation owner and slave in Georgia, southern United States, in 1848, and attempted to escape northward. The wife, Ellen, posed as a sickly plantation owner, and the husband, William, disguised himself as Ellen's slave. They evaded the eyes of slave traders and soldiers, transferring between steamboats, carriages, and trains to reach the North, where slavery had been abolished. They then moved to England, advocated for the abolition of slavery, and became famous by writing their story into a book.

The Pulitzer Prize is one of the representative literary awards in the United States, along with the National Book Critics Circle Award and the National Book Award. Since 1917, it has selected winners in journalism, photojournalism, literature, drama, and other arts fields. Woo, the first Korean-American to receive this honor, is a second-generation Korean American with U.S. citizenship. He first gained prominence in 2010 with "The Great Divorce," and this award once again recognized his literary excellence.