Government to Build and Renovate 246 Public Libraries

Accessibility Steadily Improving... 43,000 Volunteers per Location

Public Library Rendering

On the 13th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it will invest 177.3 billion KRW this year to build or renovate 246 public libraries. Forty-one new public libraries will be constructed, using 29.3 billion KRW. One hundred six libraries will be remodeled, with a budget of 138.6 billion KRW. The ministry will also build eighty-seven small libraries (8.4 billion KRW) and renovate twelve (1 billion KRW).

The expansion of public libraries directly reduces the population served per library. A ministry official predicted, "It will decrease by about 1,000 people compared to last year." In 2020, the population served per library was 44,223. This is still significantly higher than in the United States (36,333), Australia (15,441), Germany (12,215), and Japan (38,141). Due to ongoing improvements in social overhead capital policies, accessibility is steadily improving and is expected to approach the 30,000 range soon.

To enhance effectiveness, the ministry supports on-site consultations. A library construction and operation advisory group has been formed to diagnose various plans and suggest ways to implement regional characteristics and the latest cultural technologies. Starting next year, a preliminary feasibility evaluation for establishing public libraries will be conducted to further improve quality. An official stated, "This expansion will help reduce cultural disparities and information polarization between regions," adding, "We will strive to reach the average level of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)."

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