For the first time in South Korea’s history, and as the first Asian female author to do so, Han Kang, the Nobel Prize-winning author in literature, met with journalists from around the world last Friday.
According to the Nobel Foundation, Han attended a press conference at the Swedish Academy in Stockholm at 1 p.m. on Friday. This event, organized by the Nobel Foundation, was the first in a series of press conferences for this year’s laureates.
After being announced as the Nobel Prize in Literature recipient on October 10, Han had previously given an exclusive interview to Swedish public media. However, this marked her first appearance before a broader audience of journalists.
Journalists from around the globe asked Han a range of questions about her literary works and the reasons behind her selection for the Nobel Prize.
Given that the press conference occurred shortly after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration on Tuesday and its subsequent lifting on Wednesday, there was significant speculation about whether Han would be questioned on the topic and how she might respond.
Han’s acclaimed novel, Human Acts, is set against the Gwangju Democratization Movement of May 1980. This movement occurred during the martial law period declared on October 26, 1979, which lasted until January 24, 1981. This was also the last instance of martial law in South Korea before President Yoon’s recent declaration.
Before attending the press conference, Han joined other Nobel Museum laureates in donating a personal item and signing a chair. The donated memorabilia and signed chairs are now displayed at the museum.
