Eunpyeong-gu to Host the 7th Lee Hochul Literary Prize for Peace ‘Medo…

Eunpyeong-gu to Host the 7th Lee Hochul Literary Prize for Peace ‘Medoruma Shun’ Receives the Grand Prize,  and ‘Jin Eun-young’ the Special Award  

- Renowned Okinawan literary figure 'Medoruma Shun' selected as the Grand Laureate (the main prize winner)

- The press conference for the winners on Sep. 11th, and the award ceremony and a Meeting with the Grand Laureate on Sep. 12th.

- The '2023 LLPP Symposium' and a Meeting with the Special Award Laureate on Oct. 21th (Sat).

Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, (District Mayor Kim Mikyung) announced that they will host

the representative cultural event for reunification and international literature award,

the 7th Lee Hochul Literary Prize for Peace.

For the main prize of the 7th Lee Hochul Literary Prize for Peace, the district

selected Medoruma Shun from Okinawa, Japan, and for the Special Award, they

chose poet Jin Eun-young. The press conference will be held on Sep. 11th, and

the award ceremony and related events are going to take place on the following

day, Sep. 12th.

Celebrating its 7th year, the 'Lee Hochul Literary Prize for Peace' was established in 2017 by Eunpyeong-gu to honor the literary activities and unification aspirations of the late author Lee Hochul, a representative figure in unification literature, who had been active in literary work for over 50 years in the Bulgwang-dong area of Eunpyeong-gu. The award aims to pay tribute to his literary contributions and unification aspirations, while also aiming to promote pivotal activities for the future unification endeavors.

The Laureates of the 7th award were selected through a fair and thorough evaluation conducted by the Organizing Committee and the Selection Committee of the Lee Hochul Literary Prize for Peace, composed of experts from various fields such as literature, academia, and media, from January to June of this year.

The 7th Grand Laureate, author Medoruma Shun, is a proactive intellectual who engages in novels, essays, critiques, and web blogs to actively speak out and take action on various social issues in Okinawa. Notably, even after receiving the prestigious Akutagawa Prize, considered the most significant award in the Japanese literary world, he continues to embody his aspirations through ‘literary activism’ that goes against mainstream perspectives. This makes him one of the noteworthy writers among non-Western writers of the 21st century.

Being critical of the colonial discrimination, oppression, and the contradictions and injustices within the power dynamics that Okinawa faces, including issues related to the presence of US military in Okinawa, Medoruma has actively practiced and striven for literary enlightenment. Due to this aspect, which aligns with the purpose of the Lee Hochul Literary Prize for Peace, the writer was selected as the Grand Laureate (the main prize winner).

The 7th Special Award Laureate, Jin Eun-young, is a poet, philosopher, educator teaching literature and philosophy at the lectern, and a translator. In her poetry collections, she reconfigures the familiar and worn aspects of everyday life through sensory metaphors and vivid imagery. Simultaneously, she addresses contemporary issues closely tied to the present era, employing philosophical contemplation and poetic political engagement.

Her notable work, And I Love You Like an Old Street, embodies delicate metaphorical beauty sculpted by years of contemplation. Through themes of love and solidarity, she presents her remarkable musings on the role of a poet within the spirit of the times. Her unique ability to lend an ear to the often unheard voices within the community, and her skill in poetically visualizing difficult and challenging aspects of life, led to her selection for the Special Award.

The press conference is scheduled for September 11th at 2:30 PM in the Press Conference Hall on the 19th floor of the Korea Press Center. The award ceremony is going to take place the next day at 10 AM at the Jingwansa Korean Culture Experience Center, followed by ‘Meeting with the Grand Laureate’ at 2 PM. ‘Meeting with the Special Award Laureate’ is also planned to be held in October 21th (Saturday), in the Zeungsan Public Digital Library Hall, together with the newly introduced '2023 Lee Hochul Literary Prize for Peace Symposium.‘ For inquiries about the event, you can contact the Eunpyeong-gu Office, Culture and Tourism Department.

Past laureates of the Lee Hochul Literary Prize for Peace include △2017 (1st) Kim Sukbum (Grand Laureate) Volcanic Island, Kim Soom (Special Award Laureate) One Person, △2018 (2nd) Sahar Khalifeh (Grand Laureate) al-Subbar, Song Kyungdong (Special Award Laureate) I’m Not a Korean, △2019 (3rd) Nuruddin Farah (Grand Laureate) Maps, Kim Chongkwang (Special Award Laureate) Let’s Go on a Picnic, △2020 (4th) Arundhati Roy (Grand Laureate) The God of the Small Things, Kim Hyejin (Special Award Laureate) The Work of No. 9, △2021 (5th) Jenny Erpenbeck (Grand Laureate) Aller Tage Abend, Sim Yunkyung (Special Award Laureate) Eternal Heritage, △2022 (6th) Yan Lianke (Grand Laureate) The Four Books, Jang Mari (Special Award Laureate) The Strangers in Siberia.