Lotte Scholarship Foundation Awards 24 Winners of Shin Kyuk-ho Literary Awards

Established in 2024 to honor the literary legacy of late Lotte Group chairman Shin Kyuk-ho, the awards aim to discover new literary talent. This year, submissions were accepted in three categories—poetry, fiction, and essay—referred to as Pushkin Literature, Goethe Literature, and Pi Chyun-deuk Literature. The eligibility criteria were modified to include only works that have not been previously published in literary magazines or books, encouraging broader participation from the general public and emerging writers. Additionally, the introduction of Excellence and Encouragement prizes allowed for more winners, increasing the total from nine last year to 24 this year.

This change resulted in about 5,700 entries, roughly double the number from the previous year. The grand prizes were awarded to Kang Woo-geun for "Clouds" in poetry, Seo Jung-a for "The Location of the Blank" in fiction, and Lee Seung-joon for "The Yellow Shroud" in the essay category. Each grand prize winner received a cash award of 10 million won (approximately $7,000).

In addition to the grand prizes, each category featured two Best Prize winners (5 million won each), two Excellence Prize winners (3 million won each), and three Encouragement Prize winners (1 million won each). The award-winning works were compiled into a collection presented during the ceremony.

In her remarks, Chang expressed her hope that the literary award would serve as a catalyst for revitalizing the literary scene, enabling writers to focus on their craft. The Lotte Scholarship Foundation also supports the Charlotte Reading and Art Competition, which promotes reading culture among children and teenagers.