The Overseas Koreans Agency (Commissioner Lee Sang-deok) held the 26th Overseas Korean Literary Award Ceremony at the Overseas Koreans Welcome Center in Songdo, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, on the 11th (Korean time). The event, conducted both online and offline, honored 13 winners across three categories: poetry, short fiction, and essays/memoirs.

Cho Sung-kook (USA), the grand prize winner in the short fiction category, expressed his gratitude via video, stating, “Writing in Korean while living abroad has great significance.” He shared his intent to continue his creative work by staying attuned to his surroundings and enjoying the process.

Lee Myung-ran (New Zealand), the grand prize winner in the essay/memoir category, shared her message of coexistence, saying, “I wanted to convey that even foreigners with different skin colors and cultures must live together.” Jang Hye-young (UAE), the grand prize winner in the poetry category, expressed her gratitude, saying, “I am thankful for being able to connect and communicate through the bond of literature.”

Ji-young Lee (Jordan), an award of excellence winner in the essay/memoir category, attended the ceremony in person. She shared, “I was facing difficulties due to the suspension of travel operations caused by the Israel conflict, but the news of this award brought me joy and courage.”

During a lecture, novelist Goo Hyo-seo, one of the judges, emphasized, “A literary person must cultivate and nurture ‘the other self’ and should not be confined by language.” Commissioner Lee Sang-deok praised the efforts of overseas Korean writers, saying, “Thanks to the dedication of our diaspora authors, the horizons of Korean literature have expanded, and the stature of our culture has been elevated.” He pledged continued support for the Overseas Korean Literary Awards.

The Overseas Korean Literary Award has been recognizing winners annually since 1999, supporting the creative writing activities of over 7 million overseas Koreans worldwide and discovering excellent literary works that embody Korean identity.