To promote literary exchanges on an international level, funds will be made available for international academic symposia devoted to Korean literature, international literary forums, and lecture tours abroad by eminent literary figures, as well as international exchange visits by writers.

Such international literary exchange are intended to help introduce Korean literature to a world audience. A wide variety of events are included in this category, held in collaboration with organizations in Korea and overseas, such as universities, academic institutions and associations, publishers and the media.

2006

◆ Daesan-U.C. Berkeley Korean Writer-in-Residence Program

In order to offer talented young writers a meaningful creative experience, as well as to further literary and cultural exchanges between Korea and the U.S., the Foundation has established a Korean writer-in-residence program in collaboration with the prestigious University of California at Berkeley. Applications were received from recognized writers of poetry, fiction or drama who are less than 50 years old and after screening, the novelist Kim Yeon-soo was selected to be the first recipient of this program. The program consists of English classes, Korean translation and Korean literature classes, attendance at literary events on- and off-campus, exchanges with noted American writers, visits to various parts of the U.S.. The program lasted for 3 months from early September.

◆ Joint lecture by Oe Kenzaburo and Kim U-chang

The Foundation, together with the Kyobo Book Centre, sponsored a joint lecture by the renowned Japanese Nobel Prize winner and thinker Oe Kenzaburo and the celebrated Korean scholar Kim U-chang, professor emeritus of Korea University. The lecture was designed to focus on the search for a solution to the tensions arising between the 3 countries of North-East Asia on account of the winds of nationalism currently blowing across the countries of East Asia, and the related sudden shift to the right in Japan. The title given to the lecture was "Toward a Vision of Peace in East Asia." Oe Kenzaburo stressed the importance of a joint network between the different countries, transcending the divisions, while Professor Kim advocated the establishment of a sense of cultural community and the creation of a new cultural order.

◆ Events to mark thepublication of the French edition of Lee Seung-u's La vie rêvée des plantes

The Foundation together with the French publisher Zulma sponsored a series of events in Paris to mark the publication of this translation. From June 12～16, the author, together with the translator, Choi Mi-kyeong (Ewha University Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation), gave interviews to major French radios, newspapers and journals; the impact of the novel's outstanding qualities on the French press could be seen in a series of articles in Le Figaro, le Nouvel Observateur, and Litteraire dot com(France's main literary Internet site), while copies of the novel were prominently displayed among the recent publications at major bookstores such as Le Fnac and Virgine.

◆ U. S. reading tour by the poet Ko Un

The Foundation sponsored a visit to the U.S. by Ko Un for a series of readings and special events marking the publication of The Three Way Tavern (U.C.Press) and Little Pilgrim (Parallax Press), the translations of which were funded by the Daesan Foundation.

◆ Attendance of Hwang Ji-u at a Korea-related event in Frankfurt

The Foundation sponsored the presence of Hwang Ji-u at the inauguration in Frankfurt of a Korean Garden, which was built to form a permanent reminder of Korea's having been Guest of Honor at the 2005 Frankfurt Book Fair, for which Hwang Ji-u had overall managerial responsibility.

2005

The Dasan Foundation and Kyobo Book Centre participated in the Frankfurt Book Fair, which was held from October 19th, 2005, and they held book readings under the rubic of 'Koreanische Literatur - eine besonere Begegnung(Koeran Literatue, A Special Meeging). for the books of 10 Korean representative writers. This was between the 19th and 23rd of October at Literaturhaus Frankfurt. Book readings held there are a core evernt of Litera Tour of the Korean Organizing Committee for the Guest of Honour of the Frankfurt Book Fair, so the readings held by the Daesan Foundation and Kyobo Book Centre received a lot of public attention.

Besides the book readings, the Daesan Foundation and Kyobo Book Centre held a wine party on October 20th after the book readings by KO un and HWANG Ji-Woo, inviting Korean writers, German writers and people in related fields and participants, and guests from other nations. During the book fair, the Daesan Foundation and Kyobo Book Centre displayed translation of Korean literature and distributed promotional materials. 

2004

Last summer, the Daesan Foundation sponsored a series of events in Mexico and Cuba designed to provide an introduction to Korean literature. In attendance at the forum, which ran from June 21st through July 2nd, were many prominent members of the Korean literary community, including novelist and Gangwon Universitiy professor JEON Sang-Guk, poet CHOI Seung-Ho, novelist LEE Seung-U, and Danguk University professor KO Hye-Sun.

On June 23rd, the Cuban Writers' League hosted a Korean literature-centered event attended by Francisco Lopez, president of the League, and leading Cuban author Leonardo Padura. A special edition of the League's publication "Union" was dedicated to Korean literature.

The events held in Mexico were made up of four separate readings of Korean literary works. Mexico's Ministry of Culture, the Mexican Authors' League, and various academic institutions and organizations were actively involved in these events, participating in discussions, seminars, and lectures. In addition, on June 30th, an agreement was reached with "Fondo de Cultura Economica," Mexico's largest publishing house, to pursue the Spanish language publication of a 'Korean Literature' series.

The Daesan Foundation has already begun preparations for Korea's participation in the 2005 Frankfurt Book Fair as a Guest of Honor. In addition to securing a Daesan booth at the Fair itself, the Foundation also hosted a reading of Korean Literature in Frankfurt.

The Daesan Foundation's booth included works of Korean literature in translation as well as a selection of Daesan World Classics. Also displayed was a photographic record of past events Daesan has sponsored in order to further international literary exchange. During the five-day Fair, an average of 60～70 people, including scholars of Korean literature and representatives from German publishing houses, visited Daesan's booth each day.

A number of book readings by visiting Korean writers were held in and around Frankfurt. On October 10th, a forum held in the International Center within the Book Fair complex included readings by poet HWANG Ji-Woo, novelist SHIN Kyung-Suk, and KO Won, a poet and Seoul National University professor. Uwe Schmelter, the director of the Goethe Institute, acted as mediator for this event, which had approximately 120 participants. A second reading and literature/culture discussion session held later that same day at Frankfurt's Main Library was also attended by HWANG Ji-Woo and SHIN Kyung-Suk and mediated by Thomas Hocke, a prominent member of the German press.

LEE Hye-Kyung's novel The House on the Road was awarded the Liberaturpreis honorable mention. Each year, a candidate for the honorable mention is nominated by the winner of the previous year's grand prize, after which the work is evaluated by the panel of Liberaturpreis judges. The House on the Road was nominated by the winner of 2003's 16th Liberaturpreis, novelist OH Jung-Hee.

The House on the Road is a full-length novel that explores the relationships between members of a family on the verge of collapse. In March, author LEE Hye-Kyung visited Germany and gave a number of readings. This novel will be published in 2005, in time for the Frankfurt Book Fair.

In celebration of the publication of Modern Poetry of Venezuela 60 Poets, the Daesan Foundation lent its support to a book launch/poetry reading hosted by the Venezuelan embassy in Korea. Held on June 2nd at 'Literature House, Seoul,' the reading was attended by the Venezuelan Ambassador, the Chilean Ambassador, the Mexican Ambassador, and numerous professors and members of the Korean literary community.

To launch the newly published English language translations of LEE Ho-Chul's novel Southerners, Northerners and book of short stories Panmunjom and Other Stories, the Daesan Foundation sponsored LEE's U.S. book tour. The theme of LEE's book tour was 'Overcoming Division, the Hope of Humanity.' The tour began at the Korean Cultural Center in New York on November 30th and ran through the middle of December, with stops in Portland, Washington, Berkeley, and Los Angeles.

To celebrate the Japanese publication of Selected Poems of KIM Kwang-Kyu, the Daesan Foundation sponsored a book launch tour in recognition of both the author, KIM, and the translator, professor YOON Sang-In of Hanyang University. The book launch, held on November 25th, was attended by Dakaki Yuko, the president of the publishing house that released KIM's collection of poetry (土曜美術出版社), as well as poets Hotei Doshihiro and Ibaragi Noriko. Kim and his works, said to have "changed the way the Japanese perceive modern Korean poetry," have received much acclaim in Japan. KIM Kwang-Kyu's lecture at Waseda University, entitled "Today's Korean," was a great success.

2003

The Daesan Foundation invited the acclaimed Korean-American novelist Chang-Rae LEE to give a lecture here. Chang-Rae LEE has established himself as one of America's respected young writers with only two books, Native Speaker and A Gesture Life. He was included in a list of the 20 best American authors under 40 compiled by New York magazine and has received such literary prizes as Hemingway Foundation Award, the PEN Award and the American Book Award.

He gave a lecture at the Kyobo Life Building on May 20. Delivering a lecture titled, "Questions of Belonging: Notes from a Korean-American Writer", he talked about his childhood, family, friends, students and the act of writing as part of what constitute his personal identity.  

Before the lecture, he held a news conference. he said that he just finished his third novel "Aloft", which would be published in early 2004. "Aloft" is the story of a family struggling to come to terms with itself. He is also preparing fourth novel, about life after the Korean War. At the conclusion, he said that "Korean elements of my life will never go away. I would much rather Korean people read my work than know my name."

The Daesan Foundation held a Korea-Mexico literary exchange program co-organized by the Asian American Studies Institute of Dankook University on June 2∼6, 2003. Three Mexican writers participated in the program and exchanged ideas with Korean authors and translators, as well discussing their works.

Novelist Humberto Guzmán, playwright Javier Malpica Maury and Children's book author Mónica Beltrán Brozon met with Spanish literature professors, experts and translators at the Daesan Foundation on June 3. The writers gave lectures on their works at Dankook University and looked around downtown Seoul.

The Foundation and Mexican Embassy of Korea agreed to hold the literary exchange program regularly.

Together with the Institute of Russian World Literature Academy, the Daesan Foundation held the first Korean Literature Festival ever in Russia on June 4∼11 in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Critic YU Jong-Ho, CHO Dong-Il, Poet CHONG Hyeon-Jong and Russian literature professor KIM Hyun-Taek participated in the Festival.

The Festival was inspired by the recently completed project of translating Azalea by KIM So-Wol, one of the greatest Korean poets, into Russian, which was funded by the Daesan Foundation.

The Festival was comprised of a forum, a reading of Korean literature, a party celebrating the publication of the book and lectures involving both Korean and Russian literary experts.

The Daesan Foundation and British Council co-organized the UK-Korea Fantasy Literature Forum jointly with the Korean Association of Literature and Film at the Convention Center of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on September 19, 2003.

This Forum provided an opportunity to look into fantasy literature from creative, academic and commercial perspectives. With the title of "Fantasy, Unreality or Creative Imagination", nine Korean and British speakers presented on themes related fantasy literature. Critic Brian Rosebury, KIM Seong-Kon and publisher John Jarrold gave presentations which dealt with  perspectives on fantasy literature. Chaz Brenchley, Cliff McNish, Peter Hunt, LEE Young-Do, SONG Kyung-A and HAN Chang-Yop talked about their writing on works of fantasy and shared their ideas.

As part of the Forum, Kyobo Book Center exhibited fantasy books such as J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and Cliff McNish's Doomspell Trilogy.

The Daesan Foundation sponsored The Korean Writers' Reading Series at three midwestern and eastern state universities in the U.S. - Columbia University, University of Michigan, and the University of Iowa. Novelist HWANG Seok-Young, poet HWANG Ji-Woo and critic HAN Ki-Wook took part in the readings, which were held from October 9 to 19.  

The Korean writers read their works and talked with the audience afterward. The novelist HWANG read his novel A Shadow of Arms and A Guest. HWANG Ji-Woo recited several of his poems, such as "Variety Show, 1984" and "A Diary about Fatty Sofa". The critic HAN Ki-Wook discussed in detail the writers and their works, shedding lights into the literary imagination of each writer.

The noteworthy achievement of the series was that it created a valuable opportunity to promote Korean literature to the western academic community. The Foundation is committed to developing this series and kindling further interest in Korean literature in the English speaking world.

Novelist OH Jung-Hee won the 16th Liberaturpreis, a German literary award, with her novel  『Vögel, A Bird』. 『Vögel』, released in Germany at Pendragon Verlag, was translated by Ms. KIM Sun-Hi and Professor Edeltrud Kim with the support of the Daesan Foundation's translation grant. Liberaturpreis was launched in 1987 by the Initiative Liberaturpreis comprised of German readers and members of the literary institution, with the aim of introducing female writers from Asian, African and Latin continents to German readers. A Liberaturpreis jury praised OH for her elegant writing, as well as for masterfully drawing the struggles of a neglected pre-teen Korean girl without making a hero of her.   

Novelist OH Jung-Hee was recorded as the first Korean writer ever to receive an overseas literary award.

The award ceremony was held on October 5 at the World Christian Church in Frankfurt. Novelist OH and two translators attended at the ceremony. More than one hundred fifty people gathered there to celebrate her.  

On October 7, novelist OH had a book reading event at the Frankfurt Literature House. She read the first chapter of her novel 『Vögel』, and answered questions.

The following day, they looked around the Frankfurt Book Fair. They visited the booths of Korean division, Liberaturpreis, and also of a few German publishers'. The Daesan Foundation will participate at the Frankfurt Book Fair from 2004 in cooperation with the organizing committee of the Book Fair.

2002

The Daesan Foundation sponsored The Korean Writers' Reading Series at five western state universities in the U.S. - The University of Hawaii, Arizona State University, University of California at Berkeley, University of California at Los Angeles, University of Southern California. The novelist HWANG Seok-Young, the poets KANG Un-Kyo and KIM Seung-Hee, the critic KIM Seong-Kon took part in the reading, which was held from September 29th to November 12th.  

The Korean writers read their works and talked with the audience afterward. The novelist HWANG read his short stories "Neighbors" and "The Uninvited Minstrel". KANG Un-Kyo recited several poems from her book including "If we were turn into water" and "Rotation of the earth 1". KIM Seung-Hee also read from her book; "Peace diary 2", "Life within an egg 5" were among them. The critic KIM Seong-Kon discussed in detail the writers and their works, shedding lights into the literary imagination of each writer.

The noteworthy achievement of the series was that it created a valuable opportunity to promote Korean literature to the western academic community. The foundation is committed to developing this series and kindling further interest about Korean literature in English speaking world.

2001

The Daesan Foundation held a Korea-Mexico·Cuba literary exchange program co-organized by the

General Society of Mexican Writers and Union of Cuban Writers & Artists on June 26∼30, 2001.       

 The participants were novelist YI Chung-Jun, PARK Young-Han and poet HWANG Ji-Woo whose works are being translated into Spanish. Critic JANG Gyung-Ryol and translator KO Hye-Sun also took part in the exchange.  

 On June 26, they visited the General Society of Mexican Writers and had a free talk with Mexican writers about mutual literary exchages. The following day, a Korean literature seminar and reading event was held in the Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana to the acclaim of the crowded audience.

 On June 29, Korean writers took a historic first step into Cuba and met Cuban writers. Especially, novelist

YI Chong-Jun had an exclusive talk with the famous Cuban novelist Leonardo Padura.

The most noteworthy achievement of this program was that it served as a valuable opportunity to enrich literary exchanges between Korea and Spanish Countries in Latin America. This program has also helped to bring Korean literature closer to the mainstream of world literature.

The Daesan Foundation invited eminent French writer Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio in October under the

auspices of the French Embassy in Korea as part of the cultural exchange program between Korean and French writers.  

 Le Clézio, born in 1940 in Nice, scored a major success with his first novel, Le Procès-verbal ("A Protocol"), which received the coveted Prix Renaudot. He has traveled to many Third World countries in Asia, Africa, and America and has produced works criticizing the inequalities of globalization. He is a widely respected writer in France.  

 Le Clézio, who was on his first trip to Korea, has also gained much attention from Korean readers, as his novels, including Poisson d'or ("Gold Fish"), Désert ("Desert"), Trois Villes

Saintes ("Three Sacred Cities"), and ten other works have been translated into Korean.

 During his seven-day visit to Korea, Le Clézio lectured on "Freedom and Literature" at Ewha Womans University, Seoul National University and the Kyobo Life building.

 On October 19, he visited Gwangju, a city well-known for its role in the fight for democracy in Korea,

and made a speech at Chonnam University. The next day, he went to Unjusa temple and looked around the stone stupas and lying Buddha. He wrote a poem of his impressions of Unjusa immediately after returning home.

 Le Clézio's visit was well publicized in Korea and gave Korean readers a rare opportunity to understand a man of importance in French literature.

2000

1999

- 한불 작가교류 - 이청준  프랑스 및 오스트리아 방문  한국문학 행사

Co-organizer	주한프랑스대사관 / 프랑스외무부
Schedule	5월 3 - 6일(오스트리아)  / 7 - 8일(발랑스) / 8 - 13일(파리)
Contents	이청준 문학강연 / 영화 <서편제> 상영, 현지 작가 및 출판사 관계자와의 대화

- 한불 작가교류 - 한불 시인 초청 시낭송회

Co-organizer	주한프랑스대사관
Date/Venue	10월 8일 오후 7시 / 아트선재센터
Participants	프랑스 : 클로드 무샤르(시인, 파리 8대학 교수
	한국 : 김춘수 / 황동규 / 정현종 / 이승훈 / 이성복 / 조정권 / 최승호 / 송찬호 / 남진우
Contents	프랑스 유수의 시전문지 <포에지(Po&Sie)> 여름호의 한국 현대시 특집을 기념하여 <포에지> 편집위원인 클로드 무샤르와 번역대상 한국 시인들을 초청하여 시낭송회를 개최

- 고은 시인 멕시코 시낭송회 및 출판기념회

공동주최	멕시코대학
일정	11월 23일 - 12월 3일
내용	시낭송회 / "불타는 샘(Fuente en Ilamas)" 출판기념회 / 강연회 / 과달라하라 도서박람회 참관

1998

- Support for Choi Ihn-Sok's Participation in 'Eye on Books Literary Festival', HongKong

Co-organizer	The British Council & The University of HongKong
Date	September 24 - 30
Participants	Helen Dunmore, Romesh Gunesekera, Blake Morrison, Grace Nichols, Choi Ihn-Sok, etc
Events	Symposium and Panel Discussion, Public Reading, Book Exhibition, Story Time, Literary Performance

1997

- Symposium on Korean Literature, Mexico

Co-organizer	El Colegio de Mexico, Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara, & Instituto de Cultura de Yucatan
Date	June 23 - July 3
Participants	고혜선(번역가, 단국대교수) / 김병익(평론가) / 최동호(평론가, 고려대교수) / 황종연(평론가, 동국대교수) / 오정희(소설가)
Subject	Literature 'Korea and Mexico: Literature and Society' Marking the publication of 'Soul of the Wind'

- Reading from Korea Literature held in Germany

Co-organizer	Hamburg Cultural Affairs Department (Sponsored by Dsseldorf Heine-Institute)
Date	September 14 - 22
Participants	유종호(평론가, 연세대석좌교수) / 전상국(소설가, 강원대교수) / 김광규(시인, 한양대교수) / 조세희(소설가) / 정혜영(한양대교수)
Contents	함부르크 한국문학행사

- Conference and Film Festival : Alain Robbe-Grillet

Co-organizer	The French Embassy
Date	Organized October 11 - 22, 1997
Events	강연회(서울대, 이화여대, 외국어대, 교보빌딩, 프랑스문화원) / 영화제(연강홀)

- Support for 'Dialogues with World Writers' organized by the Writers

Organizer	Association for National Literature :
Schedule	August 13 - 22 : Lectures and readings by Poet Laureate Rita Dove (USA)
	November 9 - 15 : Lectures and readings by Michel Deguy (France)

1996

- Lectures and readings by Ko Un in 5 German cities

Co-organizer	Suhrkamp Verlag(Frankfurt, Germany)
Schedule	October 11 - 17, 1996 at Berlin, Frankfurt, Mnchen, Dseldorf, Stuttgart
Events	조국의 별』출판기념 순회강연(시낭송, 강연, 질의응답)

1995

- Lecture and Discussion with Prof. Staffan Rosen(Stockholm University, Sweden)