DMZ Hosts World Literature Festa 2026 and Between Book Fair to Foster Peace

A major new literary festival is coming to the Korean peninsula’s emblematic DMZ, with the DMZ World Literature Festa 2026 and the intra-Korean book fair “Between” planned for March 27 to 29. The events will unfold across Camp Greaves near the DMZ and the Wisdom Forest in Paju Book City, just outside Seoul, in Gyeonggi Province. They are organized by the Korean Writers’ Association, the Gyeonggi Province government, and the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation, with the National Network of Local Bookstores among the collaborators.

The festival, themed “From the Land of Silence to the Language of Life,” will feature about 150 writers from around the world. It will address pressing topics such as the division of the Korean Peninsula, peace, democracy, diaspora, and minority rights. Domestic participants include notable authors Hwang Seok-yeong, Jung Ji-a, Jeong Bo-ra, Jo Ha-jin, Choi Jin-yeong, and Do Jong-hwan, who are slated for lectures and panel discussions.

The opening day will be held at Camp Greaves, a site along the military boundary that has hosted U.S. forces for decades. Activating a literary platform at a former U.S. base adds symbolic weight to the event’s emphasis on peace and dialogue through culture.

On the second and third days, the 북페어 (book fair) “Between” will be staged at Wisdom Forest within Paju Book City. About 70 local bookstores, independent presses, and artists will curate displays and offer book talks, performances, workshops, and other programs, highlighting a broader range of voices beyond mainstream publishing.

A distinctive feature of the fair is its focus on local bookstores, or dongnae chaekbang networks. The organizers aim to illuminate lesser-known titles and small presses that convey messages of life, peace, and coexistence through curated exhibitions and discussions.

Former President Moon Jae-in, who runs the Pyeongsa Bookstore, is set to participate on March 28 as a “one-day bookstore keeper,” meeting readers at the fair. Moon’s involvement aligns with his recent emphasis on peace in international and regional discourse.

In addition to Moon’s appearance, the program includes a book talk by Lee Eok-bae, a Bologna Ragazzi Award-winning author, along with poetry readings, musical performances, hands-on activities, and a “Peace Book 100” exhibition. The lineup aims to offer a diverse suite of cultural experiences beyond traditional readings.

Officials described the festival as a space to share peace and coexistence through literature, linking authors, readers, regional communities, and global audiences. For U.S. readers and policymakers, the events highlight Korea’s vibrant independent publishing scene, cultural diplomacy near the DMZ, and potential avenues for exchanges with Korean writers, publishers, and readers. Detailed schedules and programs are available on the event’s official site.