The Jeju April 3 Peace Memorial (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
JEJU, Nov. 15 (Korea Bizwire) – The Jeju April 3 Peace Memorial, a somber testament to one of South Korea’s darkest chapters, has seen a dramatic surge in visitors following Han Kang’s historic Nobel Prize in Literature win for a body of work that includes her novel about the 1948 massacre.
According to the Jeju 4.3 Peace Foundation, visitor numbers have jumped by 59,062 people — a 26.4% increase — in the month since Han’s Nobel win was announced on October 10.
The memorial, which typically welcomes around 40,000 visitors monthly, had recorded 283,143 visitors this year through November 10, up from 224,081 before the announcement.
The surge includes 363 international visitors in the past month, reflecting growing global interest in this long-overlooked historical tragedy. The memorial’s gift shop has sold out of copies of Han’s novel “We Do Not Part,” which chronicles the experiences of ordinary families caught in the violence of the Jeju uprising.
“Han Kang’s Nobel Prize-winning novel about the Jeju April 3 incident is making tremendous contributions to bringing this history to national and international attention,” said Kim Jong-min, chairman of the Jeju 4.3 Peace Foundation.
The foundation has installed congratulatory banners and panels celebrating Han’s achievement throughout the memorial complex.
A novel, “We Do Not Part,” on display in the museum shop of the 4.3 Peace Memorial. Sales have increased 40 times compared to last year. (Courtesy of the Jeju 4.3 Peace Foundation)
Local leaders and survivors’ groups have uniformly welcomed Han’s win as a watershed moment for historical recognition. Kim Chang-hu, director of the Jeju 4.3 Research Institute, acknowledged that while there might be different historical interpretations, the literary approach to Korea’s modern trauma has created an important opportunity for global empathy and understanding.
Hyeon Ki-young, author of “Aunt Suni,” another notable novel about the massacre, expressed both pride and emotion at the announcement.
“It’s particularly meaningful that the first Korean Nobel Prize in Literature went to a novel about an event that occurred 70 years ago and remains little known both domestically and internationally,” he said. “I am truly moved that through Han’s work, the Jeju 4.3 incident will finally receive global recognition.”
Oh Young-hun, governor of Jeju Province, praised Han’s achievement on social media, noting how her work has helped Jeju residents process their historical trauma and embrace values of reconciliation.
“Thanks to Han Kang, who won the Nobel Prize for her literary exposition of historical trauma and human fragility, the people of Jeju have found healing for the wounds of 4.3 and courage to move forward with reconciliation,” he wrote.
The Jeju uprising, which began on April 3, 1948, and continued until September 21, 1954, resulted in the deaths of between 14,000 and 30,000 civilians, according to government reports.
The violence was triggered by a police shooting at a March 1, 1947, independence demonstration and escalated into a prolonged period of armed conflict and government suppression.
The foundation is now exploring potential collaboration with Han for future commemorative events, pending her agreement. Kim Jong-min also expressed hope that Han’s Nobel win would support ongoing efforts to register Jeju 4.3-related documents as UNESCO World Heritage items.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
