Woori Bank Donates $75,000 to Fund English Translation of Author Park Kyung-ri's 'Toji'

Woori Bank has donated 100 million won to the Toji Cultural Foundation to honor the centennial of author Park Kyung-ri's birth. The contribution is earmarked for the English translation and publication of her seminal novel, 'Toji' (The Land), aiming to introduce the work to a global audience.

The partnership highlights a unique connection between the bank and the author, as Park worked as a bank teller at the predecessor of Woori Bank, Sang-eop Bank, before her literary debut. She also contributed writings to the bank's internal magazine, 'Cheonil'.

While the first part of 'Toji' was published in English in the 1990s, the subsequent volumes have seen slow progress in translation. This initiative seeks to complete the English rendering of the entire series. Additionally, the Toji Cultural Foundation will present a special award this year for contributions to Korean literature, and an exhibition featuring Park's early writings and personal items is open to the public free of charge at Woori Bank's 'Woori1899' history museum until November 18th.