Seoul to celebrate World Book Day

Seoulites were offered free children’s books and brochures a day before Tuesday’s World Book Day.

In celebration of World Book Day on April 23, the state-run Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea gave out free roses, a total of 100 children’s books, and 50,000 brochures on book recommendations in central Seoul near Gwanghwamun.

The day, organized by UNESCO to promote reading, publishing, and copyright, was chosen as it is the anniversary of the death of many renowned writers, including William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Spanish novelist Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616), French author Maurice Druon (1918-2009), and Colombian writer and journalist Manuel Mejia Vallejo (1923-1998).

The staff members of the organization also visited Seoul’s Mapo-gu, where many local publishing houses are clustered, as well as Paju Book City, home to some 270 publishing houses in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.

On Tuesday, the Korea Publishers Society and Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education are to sign an MOU aimed at promoting reading among the young.

Korea Publisher Society, along with major local bookstores, is also hosting a special online event until May 7. Those interested can take a photograph of themselves reading on the subway or bus, and post it on the Twitter or Facebook accounts of Aladdin, Kyobo Book Centre, Yes24, Interpark, and Korea Publishers Society. The organizers will draw 400 winners who will receive book coupons each worth 10,000 won.

By Claire Lee (dyc@heraldcorp.com)