Nobel winner Han Kang's books repeatedly rejected for military collection despite accolades

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Nobel winner Han Kang's books repeatedly rejected for military collection despite accolades

Published: 14 Oct. 2024, 16:09 Updated: 14 Oct. 2024, 18:00

SEO JI-EUN
seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr

Han Kang, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, smiles during an interview with Korean correspondents on Nov. 10 in Paris. [NEWS1]

Nobel Prize laureate Han Kang's major works were found to have been repeatedly rejected for inclusion in Korea's military book collection, likely considered inappropriate by its review board to be read by the country's soldiers.

Three of Han's major works — "The Vegetarian" (2007), "Human Acts" (2014) and "We Do Not Part" (2021), also known as "I Do Not Bid Farewell" — were submitted multiple times to the Ministry of National Defense's review board between 2019 and 2021. The board is responsible for selecting books to be placed in military libraries and facilities, called the Jinjungmungo. The committee is composed of one senior government official and several external civilian members.

Despite the fact that her books were automatically considered for review due to their bestseller status, none of Han's titles were selected for inclusion in the military book collection, the Defense Ministry confirmed on Monday.

The ministry did not provide detailed reasons for their rejection, citing a lack of documentation.

A military official explained that the Jinjungmungo collection focuses primarily on "strengthening soldiers' mental resilience." Books addressing sensitive social issues or containing graphic language and content are often excluded from consideration, according to the official. Many observers, both inside and outside the military, speculate that Han Kang’s works likely did not meet these strict criteria.

Han's "The Vegetarian" explores themes of violence through the protagonist, Yeong-hye, who rejects eating meat. "Human Acts" delves into the tragic events of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, focusing on the citizens who were killed by the military. "We Do Not Part" is based on the Jeju April 3 Massacre, a tragedy in 1948.

"Regardless of the literary value of these works, it’s important to consider the specific requirements of the Jinjungmungo, which is tailored for soldiers," a military representative was quoted as saying.

Around a decade ago, Han was blacklisted by former President Park Geun-hye’s administration, along with other left-leaning artists, preventing her from accessing government funding.

In November last year, a school in Gyeonggi Province discarded "The Vegetarian" from its library, deeming it "inappropriate sex education content" for adolescents.

Han won the Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday, organized by the Swedish Academy. She was the first Korean and first Asian woman to win the prize.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]