Hwang Su Yeong, later legally changed to Hwang Sok Yong, is a South Korean novelist and democratic activist. He was born in China, as his family was in exile during the Japanese occupation of Korea. He returned in 1945 and lived in Pyongyang, North Korea, for 3 years until the Korean War broke out. While attempting to escape, they were captured by South Korean soldiers but were let go thanks to his father. His family settled in Seoul in 1948.

After dropping out of 3 high schools, he made his literary debut with the short story "Near the Standing Stone" in 1962, winning several writing competitions. He enlisted for his mandatory military service in August 1966 and was deployed to the Vietnam War, witnessing events that would further inspire his literary career and also introduce him to political activism. He suffered from PTSD and was discharged in March 1969.

He continued writing but changed his name in early 1970 and became a fierce supporter of the democratization process, which led to his incarceration in 1993, spending 5 years in jail before being pardoned. Since then, he has remained heavily involved in politics and has published several novels and cultural essays per year.

(Source: kisskh) Edit Biography