The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) has implemented diverse activities to enhance public concern over book reading in celebration of the designation of the National Year of Reading 2012. 

A survey on public book reading, conducted recently by the MCST, showed that people’s rate of book reading declined from 76 percent in 2004 to 65.4 percent in 2010 before edging up 1.4 percentage points to 66.8 percent in 2011. 

Advanced countries have been promoting book reading: the United Kingdom designated 1998 and 2008 as the National Year of Reading, and Japan and Australia followed suit in 2010 and 2012, respectively.

The ministry activated a book reading promotion committee, composed of experts from publication, library, and other reading-related organizations so that the National Year of Reading 2012 could be observed in an efficient fashion. The committee is designed to suggest and publicize ways of promoting book reading as well as to conduct campaigns to make book reading part of public life by collecting public opinions on book reading programs. 

One of the major projects, implemented in celebration of the National Year of Reading 2012 was the holding of a ceremony to declare the year in March. 

Second, book reading events such as reading experience programs related to UNESCO’s World Heritage, reading lectures, and debates took place, while a nationwide campaign to donate books and reuse knowledge resources was conducted. 

Third, book reading programs have been launched to treat addicted game users, while reading sharing or promotion programs involving popular writers and social celebrities took place. The government has concentrated its support for book reading on vulnerable groups such as the elderly, infants, and the handicapped. 

Fourth, the government held diverse events to promulgate book reading among the general public. 

Fifth, the government provided active support to book reading groups by building local book reading networks and promoting book reading events among those groups. 

Nation Eyes Smart Education by 2013

The Korean e-book market is forecast to show signs of explosive growth as the government plans to introduce digital texts as part of the so-called national smart education program by 2015. The value of the digital book market is projected to surge to 40 billion won during this year, almost three times more than the 15 billion won in 2011.

Ku Dop-gyeong, 44, a producer at an animation company, will soon publish “Walking Tour of Seoul,” the first part of his e-book series “Korea, the Nation of Hallyu (Korea Wave).” The electronic book will be available in four versions °™ English, Japanese, English/Hangeul (Korean alphabet), and Japanese/Hangeul °™ via Amazon, Google Books, and Apple iBooks, ushering in an era of publishing e-books on an individual basis.  

In a related development, the National Library of Korea hosted a symposium at the library on Sept. 21 in celebration of the National Year of Reading 2012 and Reading Day. The symposium titled “Evolving of Electronic Publication and Predication of Future Library,” was designed to explore co-prosperity and co-existence among digital publication and digital library circles. 

Experts from digital publication, copyright, and library circles gave presentations on the gathering and utilization services of digital publication materials in the wake of a shift into a smart media environment. 

Representing the local publication field, Director Lee Kyeong-pyo of Nuri Media spoke of ways of promoting co-prosperity among library, publishing, and production/circulation sectors. Representing the domestic copyright field, Prof. Lee Dae-hee of Korea University Law School gave a lecture on ways of overhauling legal systems for the realization of digital libraries. Prof. Lee Jie-yeon of Yonsei University spoke about the exploration of close relationships between electronic publication and library circles in the digital information environment. 

The National Library of Korea hosted the Digital Book Festival 2012, one of the nation’s biggest e-book fairs, from Sept. 20-22. The fair attracted about 50 Korean e-book makers who displayed roughly 2,000 e-book contents and book materials.