Korean books exhibit targets APEC visitors

BUSAN ― On the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, a week-long Korean literature exhibition opened Nov. 12, presenting local novels and essays in six of the languages used by APEC member countries.
The exhibition displays 48 Korean books that have been translated into English, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Russian and Vietnamese.
Six hundred copies of the English and Spanish versions are to be given away to visitors to the APEC meeting for free.
“We see the APEC meeting as an occasion to publicize Korean literature. Maybe not the APEC leaders, but officials and journalists may pick a copy of them, and we expect that could have an impact in their countries,” said Kwon Se-hoon of the Korea Literature Translation Institute, which organized the event.
Books are displayed in a booth across from the international media center of the APEC venue, BEXCO, until Nov. 20.
They include “Ten Thousand Lives,” an epic poem by Ko Un who was shortlisted for the Nobel literature prize; “Contradictions,” a novel by female contemporary writer Yang Gui-ja; “The 100 Things You Need to Know About Kimchi” by Han Bok-ryo, a Korean royal cuisine specialist; and a collection of poetry by Kim So-wol, a landmark poet in the early 20th century.
Some of the books were introduced internationally at the Frankfurt Book Fair last month, where South Korea was the guest of honor.