National library collection reaches 10 million books
A view of the National Library of Korea in 1945 / Courtesy of NLK
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The National Library of Korea’s (NLK) book collection is expected to reach 10 million on May 14, 70 years after its establishment.
NLK chief executive Lim Won-sun said the library would become the first in Korea to house 10 million books, and the 15th in the world.
"The NLK is the nation's flagship book repository, collecting all kinds of publications released in Korea,” Lim said. “Reaching 10 million items proves Korea's elevated status in the cultural and academic field."
The NLK was founded in October 1945, right after Korea's liberation from Japan's colonial rule, at Sogong-dong, Seoul, which is now occupied by a Lotte Department Store. When first opened, the state-run library had about 285,000 items in its collection.
To celebrate the 70th anniversary and achieving 10 million in its collection, the library will hold a ceremony on May 14 and a series of events in June.
Donna Scheeder, president of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, will attend the ceremony, along with Korean Library Association President Yoon Hee-yoon and Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Kim Jong-deok.
A special exhibition will shed light on modern Korean history through a wide range of publications, from literary works and textbooks to magazines, from May 14-June 7 in the lobby of the library in Seocho, southern Seoul.
For more information, visit www.nl.go.kr.