Passage of the "Literary Promotion Act" Amendment in the National Assembly
Korean Literature Translation Institute Can Be Established with Ministry of Education Approval
Training 70-80 Professional Translators (Master's Degree) Annually
The long-cherished goal of establishing a Graduate School of Translation in the Korean literary community is now being actively pursued.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that the amendment to the “Literature Promotion Act” for the establishment of a Graduate School of Translation was passed at the National Assembly plenary session on the 31st. This bill allows the Korean Literature Translation Institute to establish a Graduate School of Translation with the approval of the Minister of Education and provides a legal basis for the government to support the necessary expenses.
Since 2008, the Korean Literature Translation Institute has operated a non-degree Translation Academy to nurture translation talents. It has trained about 89 translation talents annually, with a cumulative total of 1,514 graduates. However, since it was not a formal degree program, there were limitations in recruiting excellent faculty and students. Therefore, efforts have continued to upgrade the institute to a Graduate School of Translation equivalent to master’s and doctoral programs and to establish a foundation for training professional translators.
Han Kang, the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate, is holding a press conference at a publishing company in Stockholm, Sweden, on the 11th (local time). Photo by Yonhap News
This year, author Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in Literature highlighted the importance of translation and served as a catalyst for discussions on establishing the Graduate School of Translation. It was also emphasized that the significant international attention to Han Kang’s works was greatly due to the contributions of translators who conveyed the beauty of literature worldwide.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism expects that through the establishment of the Graduate School of Translation, 70 to 80 translators can be educated annually and awarded master’s degrees. This will create an institutional foundation to stably nurture outstanding translation talents who can promote Korean literature globally.
The establishment of the Graduate School of Translation aims not only to confer degrees but also to enhance the international dissemination and status of Korean literature. It will resolve the limitations faced by the Korean Literature Translation Institute in operating non-degree programs and is expected to become a key driving force for the globalization of Korean literature. The forthcoming Graduate School of Translation is anticipated to play an important role by producing professional translators who will lead the global advancement of Korean literature.
Yoo In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, “The recent growing interest in Korean literature is largely due to the role of translators who introduced the beauty of our works to the world,” adding, “With this legal amendment, we will be able to cultivate high-level translation personnel and further strengthen the global status of Korean literature.” He also added, “We will closely coordinate with related departments such as the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Economy and Finance to secure the necessary funding for establishing the Graduate School of Translation and ensure the project proceeds smoothly.”
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