More Essential in the AI Era... Public Libraries and Visitors on the Rise

Data Analysis by the Ministry of Education and Others

Number of Public Libraries Reaches 1,296 in 2024

The number of public libraries nationwide has steadily increased over the past four years.

On April 19, the Ministry of Education and the Korean Educational Development Institute published the third issue of "Understanding Korean Education Through Data." This issue featured a report titled "The Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Why Reading and Literacy Matter Again?" The source of this data is the "2025 Public Library Statistics Survey" from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Namsan Library exterior. Photo by Dongju Yoon

According to the data, the number of public libraries nationwide stood at 1,296 as of 2024. This figure has risen every year, from 1,172 in 2020, to 1,208 in 2021, 1,236 in 2022, and 1,271 in 2023. The 2024 figure represents an increase of 124 libraries (10.6%) compared to 2020, four years prior.

The expansion of public libraries has been led mainly by those established by local governments. In 2024, out of the total public libraries, 1,034 (79.8%) were established by local governments, followed by 234 (18.1%) established by offices of education, and 28 (2.2%) private libraries. The number of public libraries built by local governments increased by 120 (13.1%) compared to 914 in 2020.

The number of visitors also soared. The annual number of visitors per public library rose from 76,431 in 2020, to 115,016 in 2021, 142,160 in 2022, 159,137 in 2023, and reached 173,000 in 2024.

The number of school libraries installed in elementary, middle, and high schools also saw a slight increase. There were 11,883 school libraries nationwide last year, an increase of 96 (0.8%) compared to 11,787 in 2021. Last year, the average number of users per school library was 4,340.

The researchers emphasized, "Although it has become an era where answers are easier to find than questions, children in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) still need to read," adding, "The ability to understand and interpret information independently must be cultivated through reading."

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