Seoul Book Fair Kicks Off 5-Day Run

Published on 2017/06/18 | Source

People browse books at the Seoul International Book Fair at COEX in Seoul on Wednesday. /Yonhap

The annual Seoul International Book Fair kicked off at COEX in southern Seoul on Wednesday.

The event aims to bring a breath of fresh air to Korea's publishing industry and further promote reading to the public.

Book reading in Korea has been declining to the point that people do not even read a single book a month. Last year, the average Korean read a total of 8.7 books a year, down one from the previous year.

To try and reverse this trend, the fair provides various special exhibitions as well as seminars.

More than 240 publishing companies from some 18 different countries are participating in this year's event with renowned authors from home and abroad. Also, to mark the 60 years of friendship between Seoul and Ankara, Turkey was selected as this year's guest country of honor, which showcases its own themed events, lectures and seminars on the sidelines.

With more than 120,000 people expected to visit the fair until it ends Sunday, organizers hope the event will serve as a celebration for book-lovers and workers in the publishing industry.