Pukyong National University

PKNU and the Lee Ju-Hong literary foundation pushing forward with the relocation of the Lee Ju-Hong literary museum

- an agreement reached to transfer and donate literary materials owned by the literary museum to our university

△ President Jang Young-Soo (on the right) and director Ryu Cheong-Ro taking a commemorative photo after signing the agreement. ⓒPhoto Lee Sung-Jae (PR team)

Pukyong National University (President Jang Young-Soo) and the Lee Ju-Hong literary foundation (chairman Ryu Cheong-Ro) signed a cooperation agreement for the transfer of materials from the Lee Ju-Hong literary museum (Oncheon-dong, Busan).

President Jang Young-Soo and director Ryu Cheong-Ro held a signing ceremony at Pukyong National University's administration building on April 5th, agreeing to collaborate in promoting the life and literary world of renowned writer Hyangpa, Lee Ju-Hong (1906-1987), as well as in preserving and exhibiting literary materials and his works.

Pukyong National University and the Lee Ju-Hong literary foundation plan to promote the transfer, exhibition, and donation of literary materials related to Lee Ju-Hong, including over 10,000 books, paintings, memorabilia, and letters sent to him by writers nationwide, currently exhibited at the Lee Ju-Hong Literary Museum, as part of this agreement.

Hyangpa Lee Ju-Hong is considered a leading figure in modern Korean children's literature. In 1928, he published his first fairy tale, 'Dance of a young snake', in the magazine 'Sinsonyeon'. The following year, in 1929, he made his literary debut with his first short story, 'poverty and Marriage', published in the Chosun Ilbo.

He is evaluated as having made great achievements in the history of Korean literature through his prolific activities across the entire literature, including not only poetry and novels, but also essays, plays, children's poems, fairy tales, and translations. He was awarded the Korean cultural merit, the Korean academy of arts awards, and the cultural award of Busan metropolitan city.

Lee Ju-Hong served as a professor at the National fisheries university of Busan, the predecessor of Pukyong National University, from 1949 until 1987, nurturing students for nearly 40 years. In honor of his contributions, Pukyong National University renamed the comprehensive lecture building where Lee Ju-Hong taught as the 'Hyangpa building' and erected a monument called the 'Hyangpa monument' in front of the building to commemorate his literary achievements.

The alley along the northern fence at Daeyeon campus has been created as the 'Hyangpa literature street', where 60 works by Lee Ju-Hong are displayed in frames.

Under this agreement, Pukyong National University and the Lee Ju-Hong literary foundation plan to engage in detailed discussions regarding the donation methods for literary materials and assets, securing exhibition space, and operating the Lee Ju-Hong literary award. <Pukyong Today>