4th Aju Economic Memorial Writing Contest Awards 18 Winners

On June 30, the 4th Aju Economic Memorial Writing Contest awards ceremony took place at the Maehun Yoon Bong-gil Memorial Hall in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Aju Economic Newspaper honored 18 winners, including six recipients of the Minister of Veterans Affairs Award, highlighting the value of remembrance for those who sacrificed for the nation.

The event was attended by Kwak Young-gil, chairman of Aju News Corporation; Lim Kyu-jin, president of Aju Economic; Na Chi-man, director of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs; Kim Sun-hyun, chairman of the Dongnong Cultural Foundation; Eom Gi-hak, president of the Korea Army Association; as well as award recipients and their families.

Now in its fourth year, the Aju Economic Memorial Writing Contest aims to document the lives of those who dedicated themselves to independence, freedom, and national defense through literature, preserving the spirit of remembrance. Over 1,000 entries were submitted across six categories, including poetry, essays, short stories, fairy tales, screenplays, and book reports, with 18 works selected as winners.

This year, the Minister of Veterans Affairs Award was expanded from one overall winner to six top works in various categories, and a new award from the Korea Army Association was introduced to strengthen the recognition system.

Lim Kyu-jin, president of Aju Economic, stated, "Thanks to the noble sacrifices of our patriots who dedicated everything for the independence of our country and the heroic spirits who defended it, today’s South Korea enjoys freedom and peace. Remembrance begins with honoring that noble sacrifice. It is also our precious responsibility to reflect on that memory in today’s language and pass it on to the next generation." He added, "Aju Economic Newspaper will strive to ensure that the contributions of those who dedicated themselves to the country are remembered for a long time and that the value of remembrance takes deeper root in our society."

Kim Sun-hyun, chairman of the Dongnong Cultural Foundation, remarked, "Remembrance and gratitude are essential to honoring our veterans, and culture and literature have the power to awaken people to this reality. I hope the award recipients convey the value of remembrance with clear vision and insight."
Winners of the Minister of Veterans Affairs Award included:
- Short Story: 'The Light of an Old Medal' (Seong Baek-gwang)
- Screenplay: 'Grandma Who Dislikes Exercise' (Lim Hyo-seon)
- Poetry: 'Unnamed' (Lee Jeong-hyun)
- Fairy Tale: '100-Year School' (Kim Yoo-young)
- Essay: 'The Day I Moved to the National Cemetery' (Lee Kyung-hee)
- Book Report: 'In a World Where the Long-Stemmed Vegetable Cannot Be Seen as a Gun' (Kim Yul-gok)

Category winners included:
- Short Story: 'Happy Birthday, Anarchist in the Corner' (Jin Hwan-joo)
- Screenplay: 'To Your Name' (Lee So-ri)
- Poetry: 'Father's Ring from the Grave' (Jo Suk-ja)
- Fairy Tale: 'Running Train' (Kim Yeon-soo)
- Essay: 'Ode for Forgotten Names' (Seong Hyun-gyeong)
- Book Report: 'Names That Could Not Be Called for Attendance' (Kim Ga-bin)

Awards of excellence went to:
- Short Story: 'The Person Who Cries Instead' (Kim Ah-won)
- Screenplay: 'One Beautiful Word for Each Star' (Seo Yoon-joo)
- Poetry: 'Compass' (Heo Kyung-ho)
- Fairy Tale: 'Ahn Jung-geun and Chiba Toshichi' (Lee Kwang-ho)
- Essay: 'Obvious Fight' (Kim Young-bong)
- Book Report: 'The Fire of Che Pechika' (Kim Yoon-ho).

This contest was organized by Aju Economic Newspaper and supported by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, the Korean Liberation Association, the Dongnong Cultural Foundation, the Korea Army Association, and Auto Industry.