"Only Buying Books? Reader Meeting Activities Must Also Be Conducted"... Sejong Books Public Hearing Held

Sejong Book Support Project Public Hearing Held
at Mapo Central Library to Discuss
Publishing Culture Revitalization

The Korea Publication Culture Industry Promotion Agency announced on the 28th that it held a 'Sejong Book Support Project Public Hearing' at the Mapo Central Library in Seoul on the 26th to discuss improvement directions and measures to revitalize the publishing culture.

On the 26th, panelists are conducting a discussion at the 'Sejong Book Support Project Public Hearing' held at Mapo Central Library in Seoul. Photo by Korea Publication Culture Industry Promotion Agency

The public hearing consisted of ▲2024 Sejong Book Support Project results report ▲topic presentation ▲panel discussion ▲Q&A session. The project report was presented by Jinwoo Kim, head of the Publishing Content Team at the Korea Publication Culture Industry Promotion Agency, who announced last year's Sejong Book recommendation process and progress results.

The topic presentation was conducted by Dongseok Jang, Secretary General of the Publishing City Culture Foundation, under the theme "What Does Sejong Book Mean to Us?" Jang emphasized that the Sejong Book Support Project is an important initiative that boosts publishers' motivation to publish and raised the need to promote linkage projects with previously selected books. He pointed out the limitation that the budget is only used for book purchases and stressed the necessity of public-private cooperation related to books.

The panel discussion was led by Youngwan Hong, Chairperson of the Sejong Book Operating Committee, with participation from Wongeun Baek, CEO of the Book and Society Research Institute, Jungmin Shin, CEO of Gyoyudang, Jeongsu Lee, Secretary General of the Korea Library Association, and Chansu Ahn, Executive Director of the Book Reading Society Culture Foundation.

CEO Baek expressed the need to increase the Sejong Book budget to expand the number of selected titles and distribution channels. CEO Shin argued that the Sejong Book support procedures should be simplified and the number of recommendation committee members increased to ensure fairness. Executive Director Ahn insisted that budgets should also be allocated to activities that engage readers to promote the national reading culture.

An official from the Publication Promotion Agency stated, "The opinions gathered through this public hearing will be reviewed and discussed by the Sejong Book Operating Committee, a public-private consultative body for Sejong Books, before implementation."

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