Korean books to take center stage in London book fair

South Korean books and authors is expected to play a significant role in the London book that fair kicked off on Tuesday.

South Korea is the Market Focus country, which is the most important guest state, for The London Book Fair 2014 that kicked off at Earls Court, London. The fair will run for three days. 

The event is considered the second-largest book publishing trade fair in Europe next to the Frankfurt Book Fair. More than 25,000 publishers, booksellers, literary agents, librarians and media and industry suppliers from over 55 countries attended the fair last year.

Under the theme "Books opening the mind, Doors opening the future," some 20 print book and e-book publishers from South Korea are running a separate exhibition hall with government support.

On display are works by the nation's 10 most influential authors, including novelists Hwang Seok-young, Yi Mun-yol, Shin Kyung-sook and Kim Young-ha; poet Kim Hye-soon; children's book author Hwang Seon-mi; and webtoon author Yoon Tae-ho.

There also will be special exhibitions of e-books, modern literary books, cartoons and webtoons from the country, according to organizers of the Korea Market Focus program.

The authors will take part in a variety of forums and seminars on various topics, such as the future of the Korean publishing market, children's books and translations of Korean literature.

South Korea has a 2.9 trillion won ($2.7 billion) publishing market, one of the world's 10 largest.

By Yoon Min-sik and news reports (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)