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Le Clezio, a French writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2008, gives a lecture during the International Congress of Writers Writing in Korean, held in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province (North Gyeongsang Province), on Sept. 15.

Writers and linguists from 15 countries got together in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province (North Gyeongsang Province), the historic capital of Silla Kingdom (57 B.C. to A.D. 935), broadening their knowledge about and sharing their ideas on Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, and Korean literature.

A total of 67 literary persons from such countries as France, Japan and Germany flew in to attend the International Congress of Writers Writing in Korean, an event that kicked off on Sept. 15 and will continue until Sept. 18.

The participants presented a series of lectures and presentations on three subjects: mother tongues and literatures, and Hangeul and its literature; Hangeul and the globalization of Korean literature; and lastly, Korea’s literature and its influence on the global literary scene.

Among the speakers were French writer and 2008 Nobel Prize laureate Le Clezio, Japanese linguist Noma Hideki (Meiji Gakuin University) and German writer Regula Venske.

“Hangeul has the potential to play a crucial role in protecting languages that are in danger of disappearing, as Hangeul has some universality,” said Le Clezio. “Hangeul is quite easy to understand and learn, as it was created in a way in which people could easily and quickly learn it,” the French writer continued, adding, “All the existing endangered languages can be written in Hangeul, too, which can give Hangeul world-wide significance.”

The Congress is filled with not only lectures and speeches, but also other sideline events that will entertain both Koreans and international audiences. Domestic poets will recite some of their well-known poems. Singers will present traditional Korean music, known as gugak, and dance.

“This is the first time that writers from around the world who know and understand Hangeul to some degree have come together here in Korea and have focused their talks on Hangeul and literary works written in the language,” said an official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the host of the event. “This marks a step toward the globalization of our language and our literature and, furthermore toward peace for mankind.”

By Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writer
jiae5853@korea.kr

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Poet Moon Chung-hee reads some of her poetry during the opening ceremony of the International Congress of Writers Writing in Korean in Gyeongju on Sept. 15.

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The International Congress of Writers Writing in Korean, currently underway in Gyeongju, features not only lectures and presentations given by internationally recognized writers and linguists on Hangeul and Korean literature, but also a variety of musical performances, including a play that sheds new light on King Sejong the Great, the creator of the Korean alphabet, and his deeds.