Professor Kang Heejung, Institute for East Asian Studies at Sogang University,

Awarded 2020 Lotte Publishing Culture Prize

Professor Kang Heejung of the Institute for East Asian Studies at Sogang University (SIEAS) has been awarded first place for her book The Palace Built through Opium and Tin: Chinese Society and Peranakan Culture in Penang, Malaysia (Blue History, 2019) at 'The Third Lotte Award for Publishing Culture' in 2020. The award ceremony will be held online on Friday, December 18.

Hosted by the Lotte Scholarship Foundation, the Lotte Award for Publishing Culture was legislated in 2018 as part of the effort to contribute to creating a prosperous society by promoting academic, cultural, and artistic advancement. For 2020, the award was organized to show appreciation for the struggles publishers have been suffering through because of COVID-19, as well as its aim to contribute to the promotion of publishing culture.

The Palace Built through Opium and Tin: Chinese Society and Peranakan Culture in Penang, Malaysia was selected for first place through strict investigation processes for 813 entries for excellent books. The recognition given for this book is for its in-depth perspective into the life and history of the Chinese in Southeast Asia from the Korean perspective, showing potential as a strong bridge to connect the academic sector with culture. The book comes as a result of three years of research conducted with the help of funds from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) for the 'Writing Support Project' on the topic.

Professor Kang Heejung said, "I'd like to extend my gratitude to the NRF and Blue History for granting me the opportunity to conduct research and to have this research published."

▲ Professor Kang Heejung's The Palace Built through Opium and Tin: Chinese society and Peranakan Culture in Penang, Malaysia (Blue History, 2019)