Draft:Paik Nak-chung

In this Korean name, the family name is Paik.

Paik Nak-chung (Hangul: 백낙청)
Born	(1938-01-10) January 10, 1938 (age 87) Daegu, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea (경상북도 대구)
Education	Kyunggi High School; Brown University (BA); Harvard University (MA, PhD)
Occupation(s)	Professor; Political and Literary Critic; Editor of The Quarterly Changbi

Paik Nak-chung (Korean: 백낙청; Hanja: 白楽晴; born January 10, 1938) is a South Korean critic of politics and literature and a professor emeritus of Seoul National University.^[1] As the founder of The Quarterly Changbi, a South Korean literary journal, Paik pioneered the fields of South Korean National Literature and criticism. Paik is also known for conceptualizing the Literary Theory of Division (분단체제론) and his activism against the Park Jung-hee military dictatorship through the publication of politically engaging literature. He also contributed to the development of contemporary political theory and activism as the honorary chairman of the Korean Peninsula Peace Forum, chairman of the National Literature Writers’ Association, and standing representative of the South Korean Committee for the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration.^[2]

Life

Early Life

Paik was born in Daegu, Gyeongsangbuk-do. He graduated from Kyunggi High School, Seoul on January 10th, 1955. He moved abroad to study English literature at Brown University (1955-1959) where he graduated summa cum laude.^[3] He continued his education at Harvard, where he received his Master's and Doctoral degrees in English Literature (1959-1972).

After finishing his obligatory service in the Korean military, Paik started his educational career as a lecturer of English literature at Seoul National University from 1972, and was appointed as a professor the same year. Due to his political activism against the military dictatorship, the Ministry of Education dismissed Paik from his status as a professor in 1974.^[4] However, Paik’s status was restored in 1980, and he continued his educational career until he retired in 2001. Paik was appointed as professor emeritus after his retirement.

Career as Editor and Critic

Paik started publishing literary reviews at “Shindongah [신동아]”, “Cheong-maek [청맥]”, and “The Chosun Daily [조선일보]” in 1965.^[5] Paik’s influence as a literary critic expanded after he founded The Quarterly Changbi, a literary journal for progressive literature and literary criticism, and was appointed as the chairman in 1976. Due to its highly critical nature against the dictatorial government of President Park Jung-hee, The Quarterly Changbi went through complete government censorship, unable to print the vast majority of literary works that had been planned to be published. However, The Quarterly Changbi was able to regain its status as a publisher free from censorship after years of protest in 1986.^[6]

Paik also published several compilations of literary criticism, such as Searching for the Logic of Human Liberation, National Literature and World Literature I, II, A View of Modern Literature, and The Shaking Division System. The Shaking Division System was selected as one of the "Books of Korea 100" by the Frankfurt Book Fair, introducing the book globally as one of the most important publications in Korea.^[7] Consequently, The Shaking Division System was later translated and introduced at the 2005 Frankfurt International Book Fair. As a political and literary critic, Paik founded the Theory of Division System and the Theory of National Literature (민족문학론). These theories helped define Korean literature in its local landscape by delving into their unique ‘Koreanness’.^[8]

Resistance Against Dictatorship

In 1965, Paik was arrested by the Korean Central Intelligence Agency in protest of the government’s persecution of Nam Jeong-hyn, the author of Bunji, for criticizing the dictatorial regime of Park Jung-hee.^[9] However, after his release, Paik continued to participate in more organized attempts to support writers critical of the Park regime, such as The Declaration of 61 Writers Supporting the Constitutional Petition Against the 1974 Revitalization Constitution, The Declaration of Promotions of the Council of Writers for Freedom and Practice, and The Declaration of the People for Democratic Recovery. This led to extensive investigations on Paik by the Central Intelligence Agency.^[10] As a result, Paik was dismissed from his status as a professor by the Ministry of Education in 1974.

In 1977, Paik was arrested in the Nam Young-dong Public Security Headquarters for publishing Lee Young-hee’s "Conversation with 800 Million People", a political commentary critical of the Park regime. He was accused of violating the anti-communist law and was prosecuted without detention.^[11] While the persecution led to his resignation as the chairman of The Quarterly Changbi, he continued to work for the journal as an editor.

In 1987, Paik published Changbi 1987 from his annual publication of The Quarterly Changbi before the June Protest, avoiding censorship thanks to the 6.29 Declaration that protected writers from freely expressing their ideas on politics. He became the vice president of the Association of Writers for National Literature in September of the same year.^[12] Due to the Association of Writers for National Literature’s attempt to promote the Inter-Korean Writers’ conference as a means to promote reconciliation between South and North Korea, Paik was arrested later in 1987 without detention by the police, and his departure to foreign countries was indefinitely suspended.

Efforts for Unifying the Two Koreas

In 2005, Paik served as the standing representative of the South Korea Preparatory Committee for the Joint Declaration of the two Koreas (later renamed the "South Korea Committee for the Joint Declaration of the June 15 Joint Declaration Practice"), where South and North Korean delegations gathered to form a joint committee.

Paik also participated as an honorary guest at the "National Writers' Conference for the Practice of the June 15 Joint Declaration" held in Pyongyang in July 2005, where he gave a congratulatory speech on behalf of the South Korean writers ^[13]. In 2006, he chaired the Presidential Council on Unification Advisers (until the end of 2007) and was an advisor when the June 15 Association of Korean Literature was formed.

In March 2007, Paik was elected as an honorary representative of the South Korean Committee for the Practice of the June 15 Joint Declaration, following his second term as a standing representative. In recognition of his role in promoting South Korea through literature, he was invited to hold a press conference marking the second anniversary of the Pyongyang Joint Declaration ^[14]. There, he argued that building positive relations with North Korea was key to formally ending the Korean War. He also launched a global campaign during the conference, aiming to collect 100 million signatures in support of peace on the Korean Peninsula—a campaign that continued from 2020 to 2023 ^[15].

Current Activity

Paik is currently leading the unification of election candidates, assisted by his active political YouTube channel (@paiknctv). He frequently writes articles on the prospects of Korean politics in relation to the Donghak movement, arguing that modern Korean society can only develop if its citizens inherit the spirit of resistance shown by the Donghak participants^[16].

Theoretical Works

Theory of Division System

Paik presented the Theory of Division System for the first time in 1987 upon the enactment of the June 29 Declaration of Democratization in an attempt to provide a localized understanding of Korean politics and literature. The theory states that the Korean Peninsula was divided due to structural oppression and the political tension between more powerful nations. It proposes that the unification of the two Koreas is possible only when the ideological hegemony that regulates the two Koreas is dismantled. The Theory of Division system is influenced by the Theories of Subordination and the World System, especially in that it emphasizes the influence of other national forces in understanding the local political dynamic^[17]. Paik Nak-chung’s “division system” framework is valued for conceptualizing Korea’s division not merely as a political or military status quo but as a structural condition shaping all aspects of Korean society, thereby offering a fresh analytical lens for unification discourse. However, some critics argue that its structural emphasis risks underestimating the potential for rapid change ^[18].

Theory of National Literature

Paik proposed the Theory of National Literature to understand Korean literature in its own cultural context. Traditionally, national literature has been characterized by mirroring the universally read, Western ‘world literature’. Paik’s belief, on the contrary, asserts that Korea can produce novel local literature independent from Western standards due to the hardships that Korea has experienced throughout modern history. He emphasizes that the sociohistorical context is what cultivates great local literature ^[19]. To encourage Korean writers to contribute to establishing a robust local literary tradition, Paik and the Changbi editors actively took part in publishing literature that stylistically emphasizes Koreanness ^[20]. His theory of “national literature” underscored literature’s role in national liberation and social transformation, shaping the critical landscape of Korean literature in the 1970s–80s. Yet, the notion of “nation” has been critiqued as overly broad and rigid, especially from post-nationalist perspectives ^[21].

Selected Publications

Monographs

• Paik, Nak-chung. The Current Stage of National Literature (민족문학의 현단계). Changbi, 1975.
• Paik, Nak-chung. Realism and Modernism (리얼리즘과 모더니즘). Changbi, 1983.
• Paik, Nak-chung. The New Stage of National Literature (민족문학의 새 단계). Changbi, 1990.
• Paik, Nak-chung. D.H. Lawrence, the Great Thinker of the West (서양의 개벽사상가 D.H. 로런스). Changbi, 2020.

Political Theory

• Paik, Nak-chung. Radical Study Road for the Divided System (분단체제 변혁의 공부길). Changbi, 1994.
• Paik, Nak-chung. The Modern Double-Project and Statebuilding for the Korean Peninsula (근대의 이중과제와 한반도식 나라만들기). Changbi, 2021.
• Paik, Nak-chung. Making the 2013 System (2013년체제 만들기). Changbi, 2012.
• Paik, Nak-chung. Road to Finding Logic for Human Liberation (인간 해방의 논리를 찾아서). Changbi, 1979.
• Paik, Nak-chung. The Bliss of Korean Literature in the Age of Unification (통일 시대 한국 문학의 보람). Changbi, 2006.
• Paik, Nak-chung. The Division System in Crisis (흔들리는 분단체제). Changbi, 1998.
• Paik, Nak-chung. Korean Unification in Progress (한반도식 통일, 현재 진행형). Changbi, 2006.
• Paik, Nak-chung. What is Centrism and Why Should We Reform (어디가 중도며 어째서 변혁인가). Changbi, 2009.

Coauthored Works

• Paik, Nak-chung, Oh Kang-nam, Jeon Do-yeon , Baek Min-jung, Lee Bo-hyun, and Ko Myung-sub. For the Global K-Thought: Gaebyeok Ideology and Religion Studies (세계적 K사상을 위하여: 개벽사상과 종교공부). Changbi, 2024.
• Paik Nak-chung, Kim Yong-ok, Kim Yong-hwi, Park Maeng-su, Bang Gilton, Lee Eun-seon, Lee Jung-bae, Jung Ji-chang, and Heo Seok. Gaebyeok Ideology and Religion Studies: For the Globalization of K-Thought (개벽사상과 종교공부: K사상의 세계화를 위하여). Changbi, 2024.
• Kim Jeong-hoon, Morio Hiraoka, Paik Nak-chung, Aki Sagawa, Sumiko Watanabe, Gaku Aizawa, Hyun Jung-mo, Kim Jin-tae, Kim Jae-ha, Choi Il, Kim Man-seok, and Hiroshi Kameda. East Asian Approach to the National Resistance Poet (민족 저항시인의 동아시아적 접근). Somyung Publishing, 2022.
• Hwang Myung-geol, Shin Kyung-rim, Paik Nak-chung, and Yeom Mu-woong. Old Rascal Hyeon-kuk Chae and His Friends (건달할배 채현국과 친구들). People Power, 2022.

Translated Works

• Lawrence, David Herbert. Fanny and Annie (패니와 애니). Translated by Paik Nak-chung. Changbi, 2013.
• Hauser, Arnold. The Social History of Art (문학과 예술의 사회사). Translated by Paik Nak-chung. Changbi, 2016.

Awards

• 1987: 2^nd Samsin Award
• 1993: 1st Daesan Literary Award
• 1997: 14th Yosan Literary Award
• 1998: Silver Order of Culture
• 2001: 5th Manhae Award
• 2003: Order of Jokjo Geunjeong
• 2006: 11th Late Spring Unification Award
• 2009: 14th Hankyoreh Unification Culture Award
• 2009: 3rd Halo Kim Dae Jung Academic Award

Controversy

Regarding the controversy of Shin Kyung-sook's plagiarism incident ^[22] , Paik expressed his intention to defend her, announcing that "Shin must not be ashamed, as it cannot be proven that her plagiarism had been intentional” ^[23]. For the public and press who have continued to criticize Shin Kyung-sook's alleged plagiarism as a conscious theft, such a remark was regarded to be too favorable for Shin. They criticized Paik for being unaware of his authority in the literary society of South Korea, as his defensive remarks for Shin might be considered as an official statement of approval for her literary career. Subsequently, many readers and publishers have been consistently demanding that Paik take back his remark about Shin, as they believe that his statement can be read as ‘pretentious support’ and his trust within the literary space questionable ^[24].

Conservative critics state that Paik’s Division Theory is ‘too optimistic’, as it does not discuss the politico-economic context of the division. Ahn Byung-jik, professor emeritus of Seoul National University and the chairman of the New Right Foundation, has openly criticized Paik’s focus on the cultural context of the divided Koreas. He believes that such an idea may avert the necessary consideration of South Korea’s economic status quo, and that Paik had not considered security threats that might accompany the two Koreas’ reconciliation. ^[25]

External links

• Paik’s website
• Korean Wikipedia entry
• Changbi official website

References

This page will be placed in the following categories if it is moved to the article namespace.

Categories:

• Living people
• South Korean political scientists
• Brown University alumni
• Harvard University alumni
• Academic staff of Seoul National University

1. "Seoul National University Emeritus Professors". Seoul National University. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
2. June 15th North–South Joint Declaration
3. Paik, Nak-chung (2010). "South Korean Literature and Division System Theory". Inter-Asia Cultural Studies. 11 (3): 450–463. doi:10.1080/14649373.2010.506797.
4. "Author: Paik Nak-chung". Changbi Publishers. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
5. "Chronology". Paik Nak-chung Official Website. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
6. "Changbi's 50 Years: From the Front Line of Democratic Struggle to a Major Publisher". Hankook Ilbo. 2015-11-26. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
7. "Commemorative Symposium on Paik Nak-chung's 70th Birthday". Changbi Publishers. 2008-03-14. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
8. Paik, Nak-chung (2013). "Division System Theory and the Korean Peninsula's Path". 창작과비평 (in Korean). 41 (3): 10–34.
9. "Paik Nak-chung: "Division System Theory is Still Valid Today"". The Hankyoreh. 2008-04-03. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
10. ""Knock Knock with Kim Jae-dong" Paik Nak-chung, Seoul National University Emeritus Professor". KyungHyang Shinmun. 2011-04-14. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
11. "Paik Nak-chung Papers". Korea Democracy Foundation Archives. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
12. "Conversation: 『The New Stage of National Literature』 Revised Edition". Paik Nak-chung Official Website. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
13. "Paik Nak-chung: Two Years of the Inter-Korean Joint Peace Declaration". Paik Nak-chung Official Website. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
14. "Interview with Paik Nak-chung on the Division System". Tongil News. 2005-07-15. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
15. "Paik Nak-chung's Division System Theory Revisited". KyungHyang Shinmun. 2006-06-12. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
16. "Special roundtable: "Seeking the Path of Donghak Again Today" – Changbi Quarterly". Changbi Magazine (창작과비평). 2021-07-23. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
17. Paik, Nak-chung (2011). "Division System Theory and the Reunification Movement". 창작과비평 (in Korean). 39 (2): 5–30.
18. "Discourse: National Literature Theory – Origins and New Directions". Paik Nak-chung Official Website. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
19. Paik, Nak-chung (2011). "Division System Theory in Retrospect". 창작과비평 (in Korean). 39 (3): 40–62.
20. Paik, Nak-chung (2013). "Rethinking Division System Theory". 창작과비평 (in Korean). 41 (1): 15–36.
21. "Paik Nak-chung Interview: On Division System and Korean Society". KyungHyang Shinmun. 2015-06-17. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
22. "Review: Paik Nak-chung's "The Modern Double-Project and Statebuilding for the Korean Peninsula"". The Hankyoreh. 2015-07-20. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
23. "Paik Nak-chung and the Division System: 20 Years Later". Opinion News. 2019-06-15. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
24. "Paik Nak-chung's Division System Theory under Criticism". Daily NK. 2017-05-10. Retrieved 2025-08-24.
25. "An Byong-jik's Direct Criticism of Paik Nak-chung's Division System Theory". Daily NK. 2006-11-27. Retrieved 2025-08-24.