Han Kang speaks up on Nobel Prize, thanks ‘enormous wave’ of blessing

Han Kang, the first South Korean and Asian female writer to be decorated with the Nobel Prize in literature, spoke officially for the first time late Friday evening through her publishers, expressing shock and gratitude towards “enormous waves” of congratulations from across the world.

“I am grateful for being chosen as the laureate. The amount of warm words of congratulations that poured in throughout the day like an enormous wave surprised me,” said Han in a statement released by her publishers, Munhakdongne Publishing and Changbi Publishers.

“I was first shocked at the news, and the sense of reality and emotion slowly began to sink in as I hung up the call (of the announcement),” she said.

The publishers said Han will not be holding a press conference in Seoul, a decision her father and novelist Han Seung-won, had mentioned earlier in the day.

The two publishers said Han plans to share more thoughts through her acceptance speech at the award ceremony, which will take place in Stockholm on Dec. 10.

Munhakdongne Publishing has published Han’s novels “We Do Not Part,” “The White Book” and "Greek Lessons" while Changbi Publishers has published “The Vegetarian” and “Human Acts.”