South Korea's 19th Manhae Literatary Award ceremony was held in North Korea's Mount Geumgang resort on Sunday and the top honor went to a North Korean writer Hong Seok-jung for his novel "Hwang Jin-ee."

It's the first time a North Korean writer was handed a South Korean literary award.

Seoul-based Changbi Publishers, who hosted the ceremony, delivered a medal and prize money worht ten million won or some 9,450 US dollars to Hong, who is the grandson of the renowned late author Hong Myung-hee, best known for his work "Im Kkeokjeong."

In his reception speech, Hong said the award was made possible by the historic inter-Korean joint declaration, adopted during the first-ever summit between the leaders of the two Koreas back in June, 2000.