Fourth Annual Aju Economic Veterans' Spring Literary Contest Honors Winners

Winners and presenters pose for a commemorative photo at the Fourth Annual Aju Economic Veterans' Spring Literary Contest held at the Maeheon Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on June 30, 2026. [Photo by Yoo Dae-gil, dbeorlf123@ajunews.com]

"Reflecting on the meaning of veterans through writing deepens its significance," said the award recipients at the Fourth Annual Aju Economic Veterans' Spring Literary Contest held on June 30 at the Maeheon Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall in Seoul. They expressed that the process of writing allowed them to revisit the lives of veterans and their families, serving as a reminder of the importance of veterans' contributions. This year, the Minister's Award for the short story category was awarded to Seong Baek-gwang for his work titled "The Light of the Old Medal." Seong remarked, "Through this piece, I was able to reflect on the noble lives of veterans and their families. I hope we do not forget that our ordinary lives today are built on the sacrifices of others." The Minister's Award for the screenplay category went to Lim Hyo-seon for "The Grandmother Who Dislikes Exercise." Lim stated, "I have been sharing the importance of new challenges with my students at the university. It was meaningful to be able to practice that value through writing, and I will strive to continue conveying positive messages to our society." Lee Jeong-hyeon received the Minister's Award for poetry with his piece titled "Unnamed." He shared, "I wanted to capture in my poem the stories of all the unnamed martyrs who fought for independence without leaving their names behind. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all the unnamed heroes who rest beneath the large Taegukgi (Korean flag) at our feet." Kim Yu-young was awarded the Minister's Award in the children's literature category for her work "100-Year School." She noted, "Both my father and parents-in-law are veterans. Thanks to them, I have precious stories to write about our country and its history. I will do my best to create meaningful works that convey deep messages in the future." The Minister's Award for the essay category was given to Lee Kyung-hee for her piece "The Day I Moved to the National Cemetery." Lee expressed, "My father was killed in the Vietnam War, and my mother is also interred at the national cemetery. I wrote this piece as if I were writing a letter to my father. I am incredibly happy and honored to receive such a significant award for my father's story; it feels like I have fulfilled a long-held wish." In the book report category, the Minister's Award was awarded to student Kim Yul-gok for "A World Where the Long-Handled Spoon Does Not Look Like a Gun." Kim stated, "I captured my feelings of gratitude and remorse while reading the book. Thank you for resonating with my heart. I will remember that sacrifice for a long time."

* This article has been translated by AI.