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Former Culture Minister Lee O-young remembered in memorial service in Seoul

Published: 26 Feb. 2025, 19:02

YIM SEUNG-HYE
[email protected]

Culture Minister Yu In-chon, left, and Kang In-sook, director of the Young In Museum of Literature. and the widow of former culture minister and literary giant Lee O-young (1934-2022), greet each other during the memorial service to mark the third anniversary of Lee's passing on Wednesday at the National Library of Korea in southern Seoul. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

A memorial service to mark the third anniversary of the death of literary giant and former Culture Minister Lee O-young (1934-2022) was held on Wednesday at the National Library of Korea in southern Seoul.

"When I asked about the direction Korea's cultural policy should take, he said, ‘If you pick up a bow to survive, it becomes a tool for hunting. But if you add a string and turn it into a harp, it enriches the soul. Implement policies that transform bows into harps.’ The fertile ground he laid has played an immense role in the cultural achievements we see today,” Culture Minister Yu In-chon said in his speech during the memorial service attended by some 150 people, including Lee’s widow, Kang In-sook, director of the Young In Museum of Literature.

During the service, Kang announced the establishment of the Lee O-young Cultural Foundation, merging the Lee O-young Memorial Association and the Young In Museum of Literature. She also revealed plans for extensive research on Lee’s works.

Attendees including Culture Minister Yu In-chon, center, pay their respect during the memorial service to mark the third anniversary of former Culture Minister and literary giant Lee O-young's passing on Wednesday at the National Library of Korea in southern Seoul. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

"He left behind a hard drive with 8 terabytes of materials,” she said. "We will meticulously review them to examine the different roles he'd played in his lifetime — as a critic, professor and minister — to continue the ‘Lee O-young Studies.’”

The Young-in Literature Museum will kick off these efforts with an exhibition “Lee O-young as an Editor: The Literary Thought Exhibition,” opening on April 18. The museum plans to hold biennial exhibitions dedicated to his legacy.

Culture Minister Yu In-chon delivers a speech during the memorial service to mark the third anniversary of former Culture Minister and literary giant Lee O-young's passing on Wednesday at the National Library of Korea in southern Seoul. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

In honor of the third anniversary, two books compiling Lee’s thoughts and speeches have been released. “Lee O-young’s Words” (translated), is a collection of insightful quotes from his numerous writings, offering wisdom on life and society. Another book is titled “Lee O-young, Speech Speech” is a compilation of nine speeches delivered to business leaders, including a 2010 lecture at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and a special lecture at the 2009 Korea Standard Association’s Creative Management Awards ceremony.

Lee O-young [JOONGANG ILBO]

Lee, who had also acted as a standing adviser to the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of Korea JoongAng Daily, from 2001 to 2015, died in 2022 at age 88. He had been diagnosed with cancer in 2017 but refused treatment to continue writing. Lee produced over 130 works over the span of 60 years, including critiques, novels, poems and essays. As an educator, he taught Korean literature at Ewha Womans University for some 30 years. He retired in 2011 and became professor emeritus at the school.

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [[email protected]]