Fake news post on Han Kang goes viral in Korea after Nobel win

Some fake news on Han Kang has been circulating on the Korean internet, following the news of her becoming Korea's first recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature.

In particular, one post falsely claims that Han decided to donate her prize money of 11 million Swedish krona ($1.05 million) to support peace initiatives for Dokdo, South Korea’s easternmost islets, at the center of a historical dispute with Japan. However, Han made no such statement regarding the use of the prize funds.

The post, which spread on Facebook, features an image of Han’s face alongside a photo of Dokdo and South Korean flags. The fake news also includes a fabricated quote attributed to the writer: “I will donate the entire prize money to Dokdo for peace.”

Upon clicking on the post, users were redirected to an unrelated website, in an apparent attempt to drive large volumes of web traffic. The website in question had other fake news, including one claiming that table tennis player Shin Yu-bin decided to donate her prize money to the South Korean military.

Han has remained largely silent following the Nobel Prize announcement last Thursday. Aside from a brief statement issued by her publisher that she was “deeply grateful” for the award, the author has avoided public appearances. She is expected to deliver a more detailed acceptance speech at the Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm on Dec. 10.