"Writers from Taiwan and Singapore have many translated works. Even those who are less active than I am have translations available," said author Eun Hee-kyung during the 3rd meeting of the Literary Subcommittee of the Cultural Arts Policy Advisory Committee held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on June 5. She emphasized the need for policies to support domestic publishers in releasing translated works to facilitate the global expansion of K-literature.
The committee, established under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, agreed that strengthening the foundation for translation publishing and enhancing the self-sustainability of the literary ecosystem are essential for the globalization of Korean literature.
Eun noted, "Support should enable Korean publishers to directly publish translated works. In Taiwan, local publishers release translated editions, allowing them to submit works for international literary awards like the Booker Prize, even if they have not published locally." She added that increasing the publication of translated works domestically would improve accessibility for overseas readers.
Committee members unanimously identified the promotion of translations as a key task for the international expansion of K-literature.
Author Bang Hyun-seok pointed out, "If Korean publishers aim to enter overseas markets by publishing translations, the government should provide support. Major domestic publishers like Munhakdongne and Changbi tend to focus only on bestsellers and are reluctant to actively promote them abroad."
There was also a strong emphasis on the need for institutional improvements to enhance the self-sustainability of the literary ecosystem. The committee raised the necessity for expanding literary sharing projects, introducing public lending rights, improving access to the National Korean Literature Museum, and enhancing the working conditions of staff at the Korean Literature Translation Institute.
Poet Kwak Hyo-hwan remarked, "When the National Korean Literature Museum was being established, Eunpyeong-gu promised various supports, including the introduction of the GTX, but these have not been fulfilled. It is necessary for the Ministry of Culture to demand that Eunpyeong-gu honor its commitments." The National Korean Literature Museum is scheduled to officially open in May 2027.
Additionally, there were suggestions to broaden the connection between readers and books by organizing nationwide literary events and systematically establishing literary festivals through initiatives like designating a 'Book Day.'
On the same day, the Ministry of Culture introduced policies reflecting the committee's opinions. The ministry plans to refine its support for creative grants, which have primarily focused on mid-career authors, by categorizing them based on experience levels (emerging, promising, mid-career). It will also expand the number of participants in the 'Literary Resident Writer' program, which provides jobs and creative spaces. Furthermore, support for literary magazines, which serve as debut platforms for emerging writers while providing income through manuscript fees, will be strengthened. Starting next year, the annual manuscript fee support for 35 literary magazines will increase from 16 million won to 30 million won for 48 magazines.
In response to the growing demand for translation publishing of Korean literature, the establishment of a translation graduate school has been moved up from 2028 to September 2027, and a new project for translating Korean classics and modern masterpieces is set to launch.
Minister Choi Hwi-young stated, "We plan to allocate a budget to establish a system for monitoring how our literary works are received abroad and will increase government support to ensure that Korean literature books are adequately distributed to overseas cultural centers."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.