Full Refund Within Three Months for Book Returns at Andong, Uiseong, Sangju, and Uljin—20 Bookstores Participating

Local Bookstore Book Price Reimbursement
Gyeongsangbuk-do Secures 20 Million Won

On March 16, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province announced that it will launch the “Local Bookstore Book Price Reimbursement” project in mid-March to revitalize struggling local bookstores.

Under this program, residents who purchase books at local bookstores can return the books and receive a reimbursement equivalent to the purchase amount in the form of local gift certificates or book exchange vouchers. The returned books are then donated to small libraries within the region, establishing a virtuous reading cycle of “purchase-reading-return-donation.”

Gyeongbuk Provincial Government

This year, the program will be implemented first in four cities and counties—Andong, Sangju, Uiseong, and Uljin—selected through a preliminary demand survey. Compared to last year, the benefits have been expanded, including an increased reimbursement amount. The province plans to intensify both online and offline promotions to boost resident participation, while also strengthening connections with local bookstores, libraries, and other cultural spaces.

The program is open to Gyeongsangbuk-do residents aged 14 and older. Each person can purchase up to three books per month from participating bookstores and, if they return the books with a receipt within 12 weeks to either the participating bookstore or a designated local site, they will receive reimbursement equivalent to the purchase price. Some items, such as reference books, textbooks, and magazines, are excluded from the program. Detailed operational guidelines will be provided on the websites of each city and county.

Park Chanwoo, Director of Culture, Tourism and Sports at Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, stated, “Local bookstores are not just sales spaces, but neighborhood cultural havens where the joy of selecting a book begins. We will do our utmost to encourage many residents to participate in this project, visit their neighborhood bookstores more often, and provide meaningful support for local bookstores and small businesses.”

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