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German novelist
Gunter Grass. |
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| German
novelist Gunter Grass has submitted a letter of petition to
the chief justice presiding over the case of Prof. Song
Du-yul.
In the letter, obtained on Saturday by Yonhap News, Grass
urged Lee Dae-gyeong, the Seoul District Criminal Court judge
presiding over Song¡¯s case, to stop Korea from returning to
its undemocratic ways and to respect freedom of expression.
In the letter, written on Jan. 6, Grass said he had the
honor of visiting Korea for a debate on German reunification
in May 2002, during which he was able to meet with fellow
writers who had been imprisoned during Korea¡¯s period of
dictatorship. He added that he was disappointed and shocked
when he heard that Song was in court because of some of his
writings.
Grass received the Nobel Price for Literature for his 1999
book, ¡°The Tin Drum,¡± and is well known as one of Germany¡¯s
representative living writers for his many statements on
social and international issues.
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