French writer Sylvie Germain wins 13th Pak Kyongni Prize

French writer Sylvie Germain has been named the recipient of the 13th Pak Kyongni Prize, the award’s organizers announced Wednesday.

The award, an annual international literary award established in 2011 to honor the legacy of novelist Pak Kyong-ni (1926-2008), recognizes novelists worldwide who have made a significant impact on the literary landscape while preserving its intrinsic value, according to the Toji Cultural Foundation. Pak is best known for her monumental "Toji (The Land)," a 16-volume series chronicling five generations of a Korean family.

Germain made her literary debut with "The Book of Nights" (1985), which received widespread acclaim and won six French literary awards. The novel, which blends medieval legend with Greek tragedy, traces a century in the life of the Peniel family. Her 1989 novel "Days of Anger," which won the prestigious Prix Femina, explores themes of desire, obsession and love, set in remote forested landscapes. Germain’s works are celebrated for their incorporation of magical realism, mythology and evocative historical settings.

The judging committee began reviewing candidates in October last year, narrowing down 116 writers to three finalists in June: Germain, Amitav Ghosh from India and John Banville from Ireland.

The award ceremony will take place in Seoul on Oct. 24. The prize includes a cash award of 100 million won ($75,200). Additional events with the author include a talk program in Wonju, Gangwon Province, on Oct. 26, and in Seoul, on Oct. 29.

The Pak Kyongni Prize is co-hosted by the Toji Cultural Foundation and Wonju City. Pak settled in Wonju in the 1980s and spent her final years there.

Previous recipients of the Pak Kyongni Prize include inaugural winner Choi In-hoon, author of "The Plaza"; Germany’s Bernhard Schlink; Israel’s Amos Oz; Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o; American author Richard Ford; Ismail Kadare from Albania; and Korean author Yun Heung-gil. Austrian writer Christoph Ransmayr won the prize last year.