The 20th Im Jong-kuk Award has been awarded to Kang In-cheol, a former professor at Hanshin University, and the Han-Vietnam Peace Foundation for their contributions to addressing pro-Japanese collaboration and achieving historical justice.
According to the National Institute for Korean History on November 9, the Im Jong-kuk Memorial Association selected Kang as the recipient in the academic category and the Han-Vietnam Peace Foundation in the social category, while the Hak-am Yi Gwan-sul Memorial Association will receive a special award. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 6:30 PM on the 12th at the Roh Moo-hyun Citizen Center in Jongno, Seoul. The event is hosted by the Im Jong-kuk Memorial Association and the National Institute for Korean History, with support from the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation.
Kang's award-winning book, "Korean Protestant Right" (Sungkyunkwan University Press, 2026), analyzes the pro-martial law and anti-impeachment movements of the Protestant right following the December 3, 2024 coup. The judging committee praised his objective examination of this sensitive religious topic.
The Han-Vietnam Peace Foundation, established in 2016, continues the "Sorry Vietnam" movement from the late 1990s, focusing on uncovering the truth about the Vietnam War, providing local support, and promoting peace education. The committee commended the foundation for applying the same standards of reflection and apology regarding the humanitarian atrocities committed by Korean troops during the Vietnam War. The foundation has supported lawsuits for state compensation for civilian massacres during the Vietnam War, resulting in victories for plaintiffs in the first instance in February 2023 and the second instance in January 2025.
The Hak-am Yi Gwan-sul Memorial Association, which is receiving a special award, honors independence activist Yi Gwan-sul (1902-1950) and continues efforts to reevaluate socialist independence activists. Yi was involved in the Jeongpan-sa counterfeit currency case, which resulted in a not guilty verdict in a retrial last December.
The Im Jong-kuk Award has been presented since 2005 in memory of Im Jong-kuk (1929-1989), who published "Theory of Pro-Japanese Literature" (1966). The award was paused in 2008-2009 while the National Institute for Korean History focused on compiling the "Dictionary of Pro-Japanese Figures," making this year the 20th presentation.
This year, 21 submissions were received, including 12 in the academic and cultural categories and 9 in the social and media categories. After three preliminary rounds, six finalists were selected, with the judging committee, chaired by former Hansung University President Yoon Kyung-ro, announcing the winners on October 20.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.