[Letter] Pastor Uncle’s Open Letter to Han Kang

Pastor Han Choong-won (한충원 목사), Nobel Prize-winning author Han Kang's uncle, wrote a letter to his nephew via the Internet.

 

Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literatureis a great pleasure and honor for the Korea people. There was even talk of a ‘Han Kang Miracle’ enhancing the level of the Korean literature rather than the miracle of the Han River advancing the nation’s economic growth. After the news of the Nobel Prize was announced, Han Kang's novels were sold out in bookstores and went into additional printing.

 

* 아버지 한승원 작가와 함께 한 한강. 부녀가 이상문학상을 수상한 진기록을 세웠다.

 

However, controversies about the Nobel Prize-winning author's works and historical awareness continued.

In the midst of these controversy, Han's uncle, Pastor Han Choong-won, wrote a letter on Facebook titled ‘Uncle's Letter to Nobel Prize Winner Han Kang’ on November 8, 2024.

 

Pastor Han is 17 years younger than the writer's father, Han Seung-won (한승원 작가), and attended school with his two sisters at his brother's home in Gwangju, and even carried the young Han Kang in his back. He studied mechanical engineering at Chonnam National University and worked as a senior researcher at the Agency for Defense Development (국방과학연구소) before entering seminary, where he is currently the senior pastor of Daejeon Happiness=filled Church (기독교한국침례회 대전 행복이넘치는교회).

 

Pastor Han revealed that 37 years ago, at his third brother's funeral, he and his brother Han Seung-won had a big quarrel over the question of whether salvation is possible through literature. At that time, novelist Han was allegedly in trouble caused by some seeming Christians, and also seemingly in too much pain to accept his younger brother's persuasion and advice. Since then, Han Choong-won has been estranged from his brother's family, so he had to write an open letter to his nephew because he does not know contact details.

 

In the considerably lengthy letter, Pastor Han first congratulated Han on the prestigious prize, calling it ‘a glorious honor for his family and a triumph for Korea,’ and told how great his brother, Han Seung-won, meant to him.

 

Pastor Han also mentioned and expressed concerns about the controversy that has arisen in Korea since the news of the Nobel Prize in Literature.

* Historical awareness issues in the prize-winning works, especially the controversial references to the May 18 Uprising and the April 3 Incident in Jeju-do

* The incestuous and obscene language in The Vegetarian and its alleged harmfulness to young people: criticism from the National Parents' Organisation and debates in the National Assembly.

* There were even protests in front of the Swedish Embassy in Seoul demanding the cancellation of the Nobel Prize for Literature, a protest against the Swedish Academy, and a case against a writer who criticised Han Kang's work by a civic organisation.

 

* 대전 행복이넘치는교회 한충원 목사

 

Pastor Han said it was heartbreaking to see such extreme criticism of Han Kang's work, which should be a cause for celebration for the entire nation. ‘I am fully aware that as soon as I post this letter on the Internet, many people will come against me, but I cannot help but write this letter,’ he said.

 

Here's what he had to say, point by point, about the issues and his comments

1. Comments on the authority of the Nobel Prize for Literature

2. Comments on the obscenity accusations and controversy over The Vegetarian and its harmfulness to young people

3. Opinions on Han Kang's literary world.

4. Views on the April 3 Incident on Jeju-do, the Korean War, and the May 18 Uprising

5. Opinions on how to write literary works related to the 5.18 Uprising from a different perspective

6. A request for Han to become a writer who gives brightness and hope to the world.

 

Putting aside those political and ideological issues, we had better focus on the religious one. Pastor Han said:

 

My dear nephew, if you want to be a writer who brings light and hope to the world, you must first understand our human origins. No other book in the world besides the Bible tells us with certainty about the source of our humanity and the world. Ever since the beginning of time, God and the evil spirit of the power of the air (called the Devil) have been waging war against each other over the human race. Finally, 2000 years ago, God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to rescue us from the Devil's power. He sent Jesus into the world to save our race before the world was destroyed by fire.

 

Most of us are born unwillingly wounded in the womb, and as we grow up, we are damaged by external circumstances. Do you know the circumstances of my birth?

I was born when my father was 50, who was severely disabled in a car accident more than a year before my birth, and my mother, whose face was severely disfigured by the after-effects of the birth of my sister. Unfortunately, I inherited their hopelessness, depression, inferiority complex, and avoidance of people, which manifested itself in my youth as extreme feelings of futility and anxiety.

However, at the age of 30, my wounded heart was healed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Since then, I have been an evangelist of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, in my professional life. Since experiencing the rebirth of my soul, I have devoted myself to restoring and bringing to God's salvation those whose souls have been broken and broken by the Devil.

 

The characters in your work appear to have had their minds destroyed by the oppression of worldly power or custom, but in reality their souls have been stolen by the Devil. We Christians believe that such diseases are healed by the power and word of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ. Because that's what our Lord Jesus did. I have witnessed it myself, that when the light of God shines in the heart, their souls are revived and restored. There are many healings of the mentally ill, alcoholics, drug addicts, and homosexuals in Christ's church. May my nephew receive the light of God.

 

May my dear nephew become an author who brings light and hope to the world. How wonderful it would be if I could buy dozens of copies of your books and give them to my neighbours. How wonderful it would be if she could write works that would light up the world and bring hope to the people of the world, instead of adding more darkness and despair to a world where there are so many things happening that make us despair.  summarized by onepark.

 

Apart from the family relationship of uncle and nephew, the letter is believed that Pastor Han expressed his sincere feelings as a Korean citizen and a Christian pastor as well. Even as an ordinary Christian, his moral ethics are correct, and we believe that Han's work needs cautious attention.

 

For the full text of Pastor Han's letter in Korean, please visit the following site.

Monthly Chosun (월간조선). at "노벨문학상 수상 작가 한강의 삼촌 한충원 목사가 돌팔매 당할 각오하고 쓴 조카에게 보내는 편지", November 2024.