You can enjoy Korean novels translated and re-packaged into an audio service from this September.

The Korean Literature Translation Institute announced last week that it has released a new webpage that provides English language audio files of translated Korean novels with the cooperation of EBS English education channel. The Institute and EBS clinched an agreement on facilitating Korean literary content earlier this year.

The 10 short stories selected for release through the EBS website are from the annual magazine “New Writing from Korea” that was released in 2008.

The book contains 10 selected short stories and 41 poems. The stories currently offered are Eun Hee-gyung’s “Discovery of Solitude,” Jeon Seong-tae’s “The Korean Soldier,” Kim Jae-young’s “Elephant” Kang Young-sook’s “Brown Tears,” Kim Joong-hyeok’s “The Glass Shield,” Yoon Seong-hee’s Unfinished Words,” Jeong Mi-gyeong’s “Under the Fig Tree,” Kim In-sook’s “Sea and Butterfly,” Jeong Ji-ah’s “Light of Spring,” and “Raising the Swallow.”

This latest development in the dissemination of Korean literature is not unrelated to the rapid digitalization of books these days. “The audio service will allow expats in Korea to get a taste of Korean literature and provide additional English learning experience for locals,” the Literature Translation Institute said, adding that it would continue to facilitate Korean literature content such as opening English book review contests and other activities down the road.

In order to listen to the audio files, click on the English title. This will open a new page, where you will see a list of chapter numbers. To the right of each chapter there are two icons. Click on the one on the left to listen to the streamed audio file. The icon to the right is used to download individual files to your computer or storage device. In order to download the files, you need to register as a member of the website. The items are labeled in Korean and English, so it should not be too difficult – just do not enter a space when you type your name in the first box, or registration won’t work.

Meanwhile, the institute also publishes the magazine “List – Books from Korea” in both English and Chinese, which details the latest publications and general trends in the Korean publishing world. Those interested in getting a copy of List can inquire at the website of the Korean Literature Translation Institute.