Author Kim Kyu-na recently filed for a formal trial after being issued a summary indictment for a 1 million won fine by the prosecution for allegedly denigrating author Han Kang's Nobel Prize and the May 18th Democratization Movement. [Photo = Reporter Lim Yo-hee]

The preparatory committee for the 'Association of Liberal Writers' (Representative Lee Dae-young), established to overcome the situation in the literary world where a specific ideological group exerts influence in the realms of literature and culture, pushing other voices to the periphery, announced its statement on the Kim Kyu-na case simultaneously with its launch on the 7th. 

The preparatory committee expressed deep concern over the recent fine imposed on author Kim Kyu-na, stating, "A situation where an author faces legal sanctions for expressing critical opinions on culture and literature can set a precedent that chills freedom of expression and freedom of creation."

It added, "The Kim Kyu-na case is not a simple personal incident. This is a case that questions how freely people who write in Korea can speak. We will continue to raise our voices to ensure that freedom of creation and criticism is not stifled."

Author Kim Kyu-na filed for a formal trial in August of last year after being indicted and receiving a summary indictment for a 1 million won fine from the prosecution for allegedly denigrating author Han Kang's Nobel Prize and the May 18th Democratization Movement. 

A notice of trial date sent to author Kim Kyu-na. The trial is scheduled for April. [Photo = Kim Kyu-na's Facebook]

When filing the lawsuit, Kim told The Hankyoreh, "While a 1 million won fine is regrettable, I cannot admit guilt without being guilty. More importantly, as an author living today, I do not want to accept an unjust era. I believe this is the only way I can look back on today without shame or regret and say I lived through this era." 

Furthermore, after a trial date was set for the 3rd, she stated, "The term 'defendant' is unfamiliar, and I thought court dates and appearances were things only characters in novels experienced. What I thought only happened to protagonists in movies has become a reality for me."

She continued, "But I didn't commit murder, fraud, or get into a dispute with someone. I didn't even drive under the influence or violate minor traffic laws. Yet, in an era where an author is brought to court for writing a single sentence that doesn't please them. Is this 'social harassment' of 'daring to defile' the sacred ground of May 18th truly justifiable?" she questioned.

Kim, who has been made a 'political prisoner' overnight, stated, "I won't be sent to a Siberian labor camp, nor do I think I will win. Nevertheless, I will see this through to the end."

Author Kim Kyu-na was indicted and received a summary indictment for a 1 million won fine from the prosecution for allegedly denigrating author Han Kang's Nobel Prize and the May 18th Democratization Movement. [Photo = JTBC News Capture]

In October 2024, Kim posted on her Facebook, "As any intelligent citizen would know, May 18th was an event where our young soldiers sacrificed their lives to suppress an armed rebellion by numerous patriots whose names cannot be revealed and unidentified individuals, thereby protecting the nation and its people. At the time, it was called the Gwangju Incident, but at some point, it became a sacred cow in the name of the democratization movement." She was subsequently reported by a civic group. 

The following is the full statement from the preparatory committee of the 'Association of Liberal Writers' regarding the Kim Kyu-na case. 

Our Stance on the Kim Kyu-na Case

The preparatory committee of the 'Association of Liberal Writers' expresses deep concern over the recent fine imposed on author Kim Kyu-na. This is because a situation where an author faces legal sanctions for expressing critical opinions on culture and literature can set a precedent that chills freedom of expression and freedom of creation.

Conflicts of opinion in the realms of literature and criticism are natural. The existence of differing interpretations and evaluations is evidence of cultural health. 

However, if these debates begin to transition from discussion and criticism to issues of legal punishment, writers and intellectuals will be compelled to self-censor their language, and the space for public discourse will inevitably shrink. 

History has witnessed such scenes before. The Dreyfus Affair in late 19th-century France, which began with the unjust conviction of a military officer, soon escalated into a massive controversy that shook the entire state apparatus, media, and intellectual society. 

At that time, Émile Zola, through his article 'J'Accuse...!', publicly criticized the judgment of power and raised issues of freedom of expression and justice. That event ultimately served as an opportunity for French society to reaffirm the principles of freedom and justice. 

The situation we are witnessing today poses the same question: Is the right of writers to speak freely about works and cultural phenomena guaranteed, or are they forced into silence under pressure from power and public opinion?

We believe that no power should attempt to control the world of literature and thought. Freedom of expression is the foundation of a democratic society, and freedom of creation and criticism is its core. However, recent events raise serious doubts about whether these principles are being sufficiently respected.

The preparatory committee of the 'Association of Liberal Writers' urges the current administration to create a social environment that broadly guarantees freedom of expression and criticism. Power bears the responsibility to protect the free expression of diverse opinions, rather than the power to suppress criticism.

The Kim Kyu-na case is not a simple personal incident. This is a case that questions how freely people who write in Korea can speak. We will continue to raise our voices to ensure that freedom of creation and criticism is not stifled. 

March 7, 2026

The Preparatory Committee of the Association of Liberal Writers