Hwang Sok-yong

He is one of the most representative writers of Korea, deeply committed to the movements for democratization and reunification of his country. He wrote his first novel while studying in high school, in 1962, for which he received the New Writer Award. Two years later, he was imprisoned for political reasons, and during his time in prison, he became interested in the labor activism movement.

From 1966 to 1969, he was part of the South Korean military contingent in the Vietnam War; he was forced to erase evidence of the civilian massacres and to bury the dead, an experience that would leave him deeply marked.

At 82 years old, Hwang Sok-yong is the most recognized and translated writer of

Korean literature. A key figure in the resistance against the coup d’état and the denunciation of corruption in the South Korean government. To this day, he continues to lead protests with the same unwavering commitment that in the past cost him imprisonment and exile.