By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
The Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF), the country's biggest annual publishing event for industry insiders and the public, will be held at COEX in southern Seoul from May 13 to 17.
Under the slogan of ``Start Over Again With a Book,'' this year's fair focuses on the universal value of the tomes, which are now spiraling ever more into other domains, such as films and other art forms.
``In various cultural fields, the importance of storytelling is being highlighted. The fair will raise the awareness on how books play a key role in incorporating the concept of the storytelling,'' Baek Sok-Ghee, president of the Korean Publishers Association, said.
About 836 publishers from 21 countries including Korea will participate in the event, with Japan as the Guest of Honor. A total of 232 Japanese publishers will showcase some 2,500 publications ranging from manga, children's books, business books, novels and academic publications.
Renowned Japanese writers are also set to attend, including Kaori Ekuni, Hitonari Tsuji, Riku Onda and Yoko Kamio.
About 167 kinds of Korean children's books and 64 original paintings ― which had been on display at the Bologna International Book Fair in March as part of its Guest of Honor program ― will be exhibited in the SIBF.
Celebrated Korean authors such as Eun Hee-kyung, Han Seung-won, Kim Yeon-su and Kim In-suk will be attendance. Huh Young-man, a veteran cartoonist renowned for the popular comic series ``Le Grand Chef,''' which was also made into a film, will greet fans to commemorate its release in Japan.
The SIBF sheds light on the latest trends in the domestic book market as the successor to the Seoul Book Fair which was launched in 1954. The event is held annually in the spring under the auspices of the Korea Publishers Association (KPA) in order to promote Korean publications abroad, to strengthen the competitiveness of the publishing industry, to promote reading and to allow the public to enjoy diverse cultures.
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Korea's liberation in 1995, the book fair became an international event. In 1996, it was officially recognized by the International Publishers Association (IPA) and became one of 28 international book fairs in the world.
Alongside the SIBF, the 6th Seoul International Book Arts Fair (SIBAF) will take place with 42 publishers from nine countries at the same venue.
Book artists, distributors and collectors from various fields will be present. Visitors can expect to see the identity and vision of both Korean and international artist books today.
Admission is 1,000 won for children and students, and 3,000 won for adults. Admission is free for those who make reservations in advance through the homepage of www.sibf.or.kr or by telephone to the office (02-6000-8151).