"Calling All Writers": Submissions Open for the Mokpo Literature Award

Total Prize Money of 60 Million Won for the Park Hwasung Novel Award and Mokpo Writer Award

Mokpo City in South Jeolla Province is inviting submissions for the 18th Mokpo Literature Award to carry on its tradition as a cradle of modern Korean literature and to discover talented writers.

Now in its 18th year, the Mokpo Literature Award is a prestigious literary prize that has drawn nationwide attention from writers across the country. It is based on Mokpo's literary heritage, which has produced leading figures in Korean literature such as Kim Woojin, Park Hwasung, Cha Bumseok, and Kim Hyun.

This year's competition is divided into two categories: the "Park Hwasung Novel Award" for full-length novels and the "Mokpo Writer Award" aimed at discovering local writers.

The "Park Hwasung Novel Award" was established to honor the literary spirit of Park Hwasung, recognized as the first female writer of full-length novels in Korea, and it is dedicated to full-length novels. The winner will receive prize money of 50 million won, and the winning work is scheduled to be published as a standalone volume by Munhakdongne Publishing Corp.

The "Mokpo Writer Award" is operated to boost the creative drive of local writers and to discover emerging authors. It is open to those born in Mokpo, those who have resided there for at least three years, or those who have worked within the Mokpo area for at least three years. Submissions are invited in two subcategories: the Grand Prize, for works published within the last two years (with prize money of 6 million won), and the Work Prize, for unpublished works (with prize money of 4 million won).

The submission period runs from May 1 to May 29, and the winners will be announced on August 26. Detailed information about the competition can be found on the Mokpo Literature Museum website.

A city official said, "The Mokpo Literature Award not only honors literary achievements but also serves as a channel to promote nationwide the humanistic value of Mokpo and its status as a city of literature," adding, "We look forward to receiving many fresh and dynamic works."