Seoul: British literary translator Deborah Smith, renowned for her translation of Han Kang's "The Vegetarian," remarked that Han's recent Nobel Prize win signifies a move towards increased equity in the global literary scene. Han's achievement as the first Asian woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in its 121-year history demonstrates a shift towards recognizing merit over identity, Smith shared in an article. According to Yonhap News Agency, Smith highlighted that the Nobel literature prize has predominantly been awarded to white men. Han's work, translated into over a dozen languages including Norwegian, Dutch, Spanish, and Italian, underscores the decades-long efforts by more than 50 translators globally. Smith emphasized that English is merely one of many world languages, citing Han's novel "We Do Not Part," which has been translated into languages such as Swedish and Dutch even before its English version, illustrating that "English is not the center of the world." In 2016, Smith was awarded t he International Booker Prize for her translation of "The Vegetarian." She described translation as "creatively rewriting" literature into another language, which involves interpretation and editorial decisions, requiring both "literary sensibility" and "linguistic competency." In her article, Smith reiterated the crucial role translators play in bringing Korean literature to an international audience. Smith, co-founder of Tilted Axis Press, has been a key figure in introducing Korean literature to a global readership since 2015. She recounted receiving praise from a "well-respected poet" for Han's "Human Acts" in English, describing it as "a major book" and "a landmark." For those familiar with Han's work, the Nobel Prize serves as confirmation of her longstanding literary significance. .