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| ▲ This Yonhap file photo shows Korean writer Han Kang. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Oct. 11 (Yonhap) -- Yoo In-chon, the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, extended his congratulations and encouragement to author Han Kang, the first Korean to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, during the "38th Book Day" celebration on the 11th.
In his remarks at the ceremony held at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Minister Yoo stated, "Han Kang's achievement is a historic event, marking the first time a Korean writer and an Asian female author has won the Nobel Prize in Literature. It is a proud accomplishment for Korean literature and publishing, and a national celebration."
Han Kang's works, supported by the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, have been translated into 28 languages and published in a total of 76 editions. Among these, her 2016 Booker International Prize-winning The Vegetarian and the critically acclaimed Human Acts, which won the French Medici Prize and the Emile Guimet Prize for Asian Literature, have been translated into multiple languages, including English, French, and Chinese. The Literature Translation Institute of Korea, established in 2001 under then-Minister of Culture Kim Han-gil, aims to promote Korean literature globally.
The Arts Council Korea has supported Han Kang's literary career since her debut, including facilitating her participation in international creative programs in 1998, offering grants for emerging writers in 2000, and supporting her residency at the University of Warsaw in 2014.
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| ▲ A reader takes a photo of works by Korean writer Han Kang at a local bookstore after the author's Nobel Prize win on Oct. 11, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism plans to use this award as a springboard to further promote Korean literature on the global stage. It will continue supporting programs like the residency for writers and the provision of writing spaces, while also expanding the Literary Sharing Book Distribution Program. Additionally, the ministry is launching new initiatives to highlight and critically assess outstanding Korean literary works.
Minister Yoo emphasized, "As Korean literature becomes recognized at the center of world literature, we will continue to ensure that writers can create freely and that Korean literature can be cherished by readers worldwide."
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