In celebration of the arrival of autumn and its abundant harvest, a variety of events—at libraries, book streets, and even military bases—are planned to celebrate the joy of reading. Despite a decline in leisure reading among South Korean citizens,[1] the importance of books cannot be overstated. Reading fosters essential skills such as critical thinking and empathy in an era defined by artificial intelligence (AI) and hyper-personalization. Recognizing this, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister YU In Chon, MCST) is partnering with over 2,600 institutions, organizations, and companies to rediscover the value of books and promote a culture of reading through more than 10,704 diverse events throughout September ‘Reading Month.’[2]

Nationwide, over 10,000 diverse and rich reading culture events to be held, encompassing both the public and private sectors

To mark September as “Reading Month”, a nationwide festival is being organized to promote a vibrant reading culture. This month-long event will feature a diverse range of special activities hosted by libraries, local governments, and education offices. This initiative includes book clubs, lectures, exhibitions, and book markets, as well as unique events aimed at sparking interest in reading. Highlights include outdoor libraries in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and Chungnam; book therapy concerts in Busan; Book Type Indicator (BTI) in Gwangju; and Moonlight Book Festival in Jeonbuk. Visitors to 150 public and small libraries, along with 50 local bookstores, can participate in diverse reading programs sponsored by MCST, including “Little Library Book Friends” and “Value Bookstore.” Among national libraries, the National Library of Korea will host lectures and author signings under the theme “Meet Humanities Monthly,” while the National Library for Children and Young Adults will run the “Read to Me” campaign and “6th Youth Makers Festival.” Additionally, the National Library of Korea, Sejong, will present a special lecture entitled “Children Growing Through Reading and Writing” to celebrate this month. During “Literature Week” (September 27 - October 1), readers can immerse themselves in a range of literary events—including exhibitions, interactive experiences, and discussions—at Marronnier Park and the Daehak-ro area.

Moreover, 14 publishers and bookstores from the private sector are joining the celebration, both online and offline. Online Kyobo Bookstore is inviting readers to participate in its “Book Preview Members” program, where they can use the preview feature to vote for their favorite books. If the book they select is chosen as number one, they will receive it for free. Gimm-Young Publishers and Changbi Publishers are hosting lectures, book talks, and signings featuring various authors. Millie Seojae is organizing an online quiz event based on books, while Yes24 is planning the outdoor “Book Picnic in autumn” (tentative name) event, which will feature outdoor bookshelves in a large shopping area to showcase curated and recommended reads.

For more details about the events in September ‘Reading Month,’ you can visit the reading information website, “Readers” (https://m.site.naver.com/1sSQ3).

From September 27 - 29, the main event of 2024 Korea Reading Festival  to be held in Pohang, Korea’s “City of Books,” where a total of 24 Reading Culture Awards will be presented

Pohang City (Mayor LEE Kang Deok), selected as Korea’s “City of Books” for 2024, will host the main event of Korea Reading Festival at the Yeongildae Sea Pavilion area in collaboration with the Korea Publishing Industry Promotion Agency (Director KIM Jun Hee, KPIPA). This year marks the 11th anniversary of the event. The theme, “The East Sea Meeting Books,” reflects the city’s coastal location, and the festival aims to connect various participants, including publishers, bookstores, members of the reading community, and the general public. Attendees will embark on a literary voyage through lectures, book talks, exhibitions, performances, and interactive experiences.

<Highlights of Main Event of 2024 Korea Reading Festival>

For more detailed information about the program schedule and how to participate in Korea Reading Festival, please visit the official website (korearf.kpipa.or.kr).

The festival kicks off on Friday, September 27, with an opening ceremony featuring the Reading Culture Awards. Presented by MCST, these awards recognize individuals and organizations that have contributed to promoting reading in South Korea.

This year, the Presidential Commendation will be awarded to the Korean National Mothers’ Association, a leader in women’s empowerment and literacy for over 50 years. The association’s initiatives, such as “National Women’s Reading Report Contest,” have been instrumental in fostering a vibrant reading culture among women and promoting self-realization. The Prime Minister’s Commendation will be given to two outstanding individuals. YOO Eun Gyung, team leader of Incheon Bupyeong-gu Cultural Foundation, will be recognized for her dedication to promoting reading culture through programs like “One City, One Book” and “Readers’ Community Bupyeong.” She will share this honor with CHOI Ji Hye, director of Baram Forest Picture Book Library. Her vision led to the establishment of the country’s first private picture book library, which has since evolved into a thriving community center and cultural hub for local residents. Additionally, 21 other individuals and organizations, including librarian NOH Yeon Joo from Youngtong Middle School and Bucheon City Library, will receive Ministerial Commendations.

The reading culture promotion campaign “Discover the Lightweight Yet Great 5-Gram World” now underway

In 2025, new initiatives to be launched to further spread a culture of reading

In line with this, MCST is launching a new campaign to promote reading culture. Entitled “Discover the Lightweight Yet Great 5-Gram World,”[3] the campaign aims to raise awareness of the value and importance of reading among more citizens during September ‘Reading Month.’ This year, MCST also announced its “4th Master Plan for Promoting Reading Culture (2024-2028),” which prioritizes the strategy of “Sharing the Value of Reading and Expanding Readers.” To achieve its goals, the campaign will utilize various digital platforms to highlight the benefits of reading. Videos and images will be shared through MCST’s official YouTube channel, social media platforms, digital billboards, the reading information website “ReadIN,” and major libraries.

Next year, MCST will launch new initiatives to promote Korea’s reading culture and revitalize local communities. These initiatives include reading-based regional revitalization (KRW 700 million, new initiatives), digital reading expansion (KRW 300 million, new initiatives), and the “Reading Korea” cultural campaign for the nationwide publishing sector (KRW 1 billion), all of which will be pursued after deliberation in the National Assembly to further promote a culture of reading. According to the study “Design and Experimental Research on Reading Incentives for Non-Readers,” conducted by the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation of Korea University (Lead Researcher: Professor LEE Soon Young, Department of Korean Language Education), significant changes in reading behavior were observed among non-readers participating in reading groups. The study confirmed that designing effective incentives is crucial for encouraging reading among non-readers from various backgrounds. MCST plans to effectively implement these new initiatives next year by incorporating these research findings and feedback from the field.

MCST Minister YU stated, “Every lightweight page of a book contributes to our precious history, noble thoughts, and remarkable achievements. As we celebrate September “Reading Month,” I encourage all citizens to explore their own great worlds through books.” He added, “MCST is committed to comprehensively promoting reading culture through increased budget allocation, thoughtful planning, and strong partnerships and communication going forward.”