The Long-Controversial Construction of ‘Yeongam Public Library’ Finally Decided as ‘Gichan Land’

New Site 6600㎡, Total Floor Area 3900㎡, Complex Cultural Space

Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education and Yeongam County signed a business agreement on the 9th for the construction (relocation) of Yeongam Public Library. Photo by Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] The controversy over the site for the new construction and relocation of Yeongam Public Library, which had been a subject of much debate and issues, has been settled with the final decision to locate it at Wolchulsan Gichan Land.

According to the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education on the 11th, the Yeongam Public Library new construction project is being promoted with support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, with a construction budget of 17 billion KRW (7 billion KRW from Jeonnam Office of Education, 5 billion KRW from Yeongam County, and 5 billion KRW from national funds). The library will be built on a 6,600㎡ site with a total floor area of 3,900㎡ (1 basement floor, 3 above-ground floors, 570 reading seats), aiming for opening in March 2024.

This project saw the Yeongam Office of Education Support notify parents and education officials by text message that the new construction site had been decided as Gichan Land, without holding a single public hearing as of the 22nd of last month. This led to strong opposition from Yeongam county council members and local residents, sparking conflict.

At that time, Yeongam county council members and residents criticized the Yeongam Office of Education Support’s lack of communication, saying, “The opinions of local residents were ignored in the site selection process, and a unilateral decision was communicated via text message.”

As the conflict escalated, the Provincial Office of Education and Yeongam Office of Education Support hurriedly moved to resolve the issue.

The Provincial Office of Education and Yeongam Office of Education Support persuaded Yeongam county council members and local residents by stating, “If the problem is not resolved, the new construction project may be moved to another area.” Eventually, the county council members and residents reached a final agreement to select the Gichan Land site for the benefit of the region, thus settling the recent conflict.

Yeongam county council member Yoo Na-jong said, “From the beginning, the issue was not about dissatisfaction with the location but about communication. We pointed out the lack of communication by the Yeongam Office of Education Support, which never properly coordinated opinions during the site selection process.” He added, “Now that Gichan Land has been finalized as the site, we hope it will greatly benefit the residents of Yeongam.”

Accordingly, on the 9th, Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education and Yeongam County signed a business agreement for the new construction (relocation) of Yeongam Public Library at Nangsansil in Yeongam County Office, with Education Superintendent Jang Seok-woong, County Governor Jeon Dong-pyeong, and officials from both institutions in attendance.

Through this business agreement, the Yeongam Public Library new construction project is expected to gain momentum.

Since its opening in 1987, Yeongam Public Library’s facilities have become outdated and its scale limited, exposing functional limitations and leading to continuous demands from residents for relocation.

The new Yeongam Public Library will be designed through a process of gathering local residents’ opinions: the first floor will house facilities for children and vulnerable groups, the second floor will have facilities for youth and adults, and the third floor will include education, culture, and community facilities, serving as a complex cultural space for local communication and community.

Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education and Yeongam County agreed to actively cooperate on the new construction (relocation) of Yeongam Public Library, including ▲ mutual consultation during architectural design ▲ exhibition and provision of promotional materials ▲ administrative and financial support.

An official from the Provincial Office of Education said, “The site selection issue was well resolved through a locally agreed solution,” adding, “The new library will leverage the advantages of Gichan Land, a famous spot in Yeongam, to provide a complex cultural space for local residents and the people of Jeonnam.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.