To Be Held on September 25-26
Press Conference and Awards Ceremony Scheduled
Seoul's Eunpyeong District (District Mayor Kim Mikyung) announced on August 25 that the 9th Lee Ho-cheol Unification-ro Literature Award, a major unification-themed cultural event and international literary prize, will be held on September 25 and 26.
This year, the main award will go to veteran writer Hyun Kiyoung, who has deeply explored the painful wounds of modern Korean history, including the Jeju 4·3 Incident. The Special Award will be given to young writer Kim Gichang, who has delicately depicted contemporary issues and the lives of the socially disadvantaged.
The Lee Ho-cheol Unification-ro Literature Award was established by Eunpyeong District in 2017 to honor the late writer Lee Ho-cheol's wish for unification and his literary spirit, after he spent over 50 years working as a writer in Bulgwang-dong. This year's winners were selected by the Operating Committee and the Main Award Selection Committee, following a review by experts from the fields of literature, academia, and journalism.
Main award winner Hyun Kiyoung was born in 1941 on Jeju Island. After his literary debut with "Father" (1975), he left a significant mark on Korean literary history by persistently addressing the Jeju 4·3 Incident and the lives of ordinary people through works such as "Aunt Suni" (1978). His recent novel "Jejudo Uda" is regarded as a comprehensive reflection of his literary journey.
Special Award winner Kim Gichang was born in 1978 in Masan, Gyeongnam, majored in sociology, and established himself in the literary world by winning the 38th Today's Writer Award in 2014 with "Monaco." Since then, through works such as "Bangkok," "Love in the Age of Climate Change," and "Masan," he has explored contemporary issues like climate, migration, and inequality with both wit and seriousness. The committee highly praised his innovative narrative structure and keen awareness of the times.
The event will begin with a press conference at 10 a.m. on September 25 at the Seoul Club Hall on the 18th floor of the Korea Press Center. The awards ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on September 26 at the Lee Ho-cheol Book Concert Hall. On the same day, there will be a "Meeting with the Main Award Winner" at 2 p.m. and a "Meeting with the Special Award Winner" at 4 p.m.
Kim Mikyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong District, stated, "We will strive to make this district a space where peace and unification are discussed through various cultural and artistic events, including the Lee Ho-cheol Unification-ro Literature Award." She added, "We will do our utmost to ensure that this literary award spreads the values of peace and harmony in our community and becomes a strong foundation for writers to continue their creative work in a stable environment."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
