Translator Deborah Smith, left, and Han Kang pose after winning the Booker Prize in May 2016. EPA-Yonhap

Deborah Smith, the British translator widely credited for introducing Nobel Prize-winning author Han Kang's works to the global stage, recently shared the novelist's reasoning for declining a post-award press conference on social media.

Smith posted Sunday an article from The Korea Times on her X account, highlighting excerpts that conveyed Han Kang's somber reflections amid the Ukraine-Russia war and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

She posted Han's words: "With the war intensifying and people being carried out dead every day, how can we have a celebration? Please don't celebrate while witnessing these tragic events. The Swedish Academy didn't give me this award for us to enjoy, but to stay more clear-headed."

These quotes were shared by Han Kang's father, novelist Han Seung-won, on Friday, when he told a group of reporters that his daughter had decided not to hold a press conference following her Nobel Prize win.

While Smith didn't add her own commentary beyond sharing the article, her post was interpreted by many as a gesture of support for Han Kang's quiet stance since the announcement of her Nobel Prize win.

This aligns with Han's decision to keep a low profile, refraining from public statements or special appearances.

Smith, who studied English literature at the University of Cambridge and later pursued Korean studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London, taught herself Korean and became captivated by Korean fiction.

Her translation of Han Kang's "The Vegetarian" earned both Han and Smith the prestigious Booker Prize in 2016..