• 한국학연구
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• no.49
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• pp.189-222
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• 2018

The aim of this paper is to examine the process of support on the Korea PEN by The Asia Foundation. During the Cold War, the Asia Foundation is an American nonprofit organization which has supported major Asian nations in country rebuilding, anticommunist education, and cultural activities. This foundation established an office in an aid-receiving country and actively attracted local literary people to participate in various cultural programs. In Korea, above all, this culture-aiding system contributed to expanding the international base of Korean literature. For example, after the establishment of PEN Korean Center in 1954 through the aid and intervention of the Asia Foundation, it was able to institutionalize the program for the translation and introduction of Korean literature. The activities of the Korea PEN focused on the translation of culture which specialized in the characteristics of Korean literature and the difference of the Eastern literature. In this respect, the "Resolution on Translation", which had been passed in the 29th international PEN in Japan, has a significant meaning. In the PEN conference of Japan, the role of Japan had been stressed on the bridge between the Asian literature and international literature, and in particular, the assignment of Kawabata Yasunari, the president of Japan PEN, stood out at the meeting. In this context, this paper examined the business contents of Korea PEN and the aspect of increase in literary translations and their relating book reviews which had changed after the 29th international PEN in Japan. More importantly, from the international acceptance of Korean writer, Hwan Sunwon, in Encounter published in 1959, this paper paid attention to the translation forum of the Korean literature of 1950s which had been shaped as the output of the Asia Foundation.