Culture ministry opens literary policy panel to public nominations

The culture ministry said Friday it will accept public nominations for private members of the Literature Promotion Policy Committee, opening the panel to citizen recommendations for the first time.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Personnel Management will take recommendations from Oct. 2 through Oct. 23 through the government's open nomination system, the ministry said. The committee, established under the Literature Promotion Act, advises the ministry on major matters including the drafting and implementation of the basic plan for literature promotion.

Until now, candidates were put forward mainly by literary associations, related organizations and affiliated agencies. The ministry said it is adding public nominations to raise the openness and diversity of the panel's composition.

Anyone may recommend a candidate, including themselves, as long as the person has expertise in literature or extensive hands-on experience in fields such as literary creation, criticism, publishing and distribution.

"With global interest in our literature growing, new and diverse approaches are needed to strengthen the environment for literary creation and widen the door for our literature to go overseas," a culture ministry policy official said. "We expect the people recommended by citizens to be a great help in policy making."

Candidates put forward by the public will be reviewed alongside those recommended by related organizations by a committee of prominent literary figures. The ministry plans to appoint 14 private members in November.