hankyoreh

Feb. 26. (Photo by Rhee Jong-chan)

By Choi Jae-bong, Senior Staff Writer　　

The Writers’ Association of Korea (WAK) voted at a general meeting Saturday afternoon not to accept support from the government-affiliated Arts Council Korea (ARKO) for a second straight year in response to its demands for a letter of confirmation that applications for government subsidies will not participate in or lead demonstrations. Additionally, it voted to continue its “Writing for Resistance” against the Lee Myung-bak administration’s culture and arts policies, and all those that pose a threat to democracy. The approximately 200 writers who are members of WAK made this resolution with the adoption of a “2010 Writers’ Association of Korea Assessment Report” at the association’s regular general meeting Saturday.

On Jan. 20, 2010, ARKO designated WAK as a group engaged in illegal acts of violence and demonstrations, citing its participating in candlelight vigil demonstrations against resumed U.S. beef imports in 2008, and demanded that the group submit a form confirming its non-participation in demonstrations to receive a subsidy of 34 million Won ($30,092). In response, WAK ruled at its general meeting on Feb. 20 of that year to refuse the request and wage a campaign of writing for resistance.

The assessment report stated that 2010 “marked a period when, as a result of political interference by a state organization, the ‘movement’ aspect of the Writers‘ Association of Korea became more pronounced.”

“The resulting tensions that formed within the organization and the increase in a diverse range of efforts for democracy are important achievements,” the report said. However, the report also said that “the state of emergency continues in 2011, with no withdrawal of Arts Council Korea’s requirement to submit a confirmation form.” In the report, WAK adopted “Imagine and fight!” as a theme for its 2011 projects.

During the past year, a writing campaign by literary figures against the Lee Myung-bak administration’s controversial Four Major Rivers Restoration Project, led by the resistance writing committee, resulted in a poetry collection titled “Even in Dreams, Let the Sound of the Water Not Cause Pain,” including contributions by Ko Un, Shin Kyong-rim, Do Jong-hwan, and Kim Kyung-ju, as well as the prose collection “The River Is Sleepless Today,” featuring writing by Kang Eun-kyo, Kim Yong-taek, Kang Young-suk, and Han Yu-gu. The two volumes were distributed to members at the general meeting Saturday.

In addition to the books, WAK members have continued their resistance of non-democratic and anti-democratic Lee administration policies such as the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project through explorations of and pilgrimages to the Han and Nakdong Rivers, the holding of the Duriban Literature Forum, poetry readings, and symposia.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]