Groundbreaking of Seoul Northwestern Public Library 'Seoul Municipal (Gajaeul) Library'

Seoul City Councilor Kim Yong-il Reviews Library Construction Progress and Groundbreaking... Project Budget 55.2 Billion KRW, Completion Expected by February 2027

Bird's-eye view of Seoul Metropolitan Gajaeul Library

The Seoul Municipal (Gajaeul) Library, the second municipal library to be established in Seoul, is set to begin construction.

On August 28, Seoul City Council member Kim Yong-il (Seodaemun-gu District 4, People Power Party) received a report from the Seoul City Cultural Facilities Department on the progress of the Seoul Municipal (Gajaeul) Library project and expressed his anticipation for the future of the library, which will serve as a public reading space in the northwest area of Seoul.

The Seoul Municipal (Gajaeul) Library is planned to be built in Bukgajwa-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. After the basic plan was established in 2005 and an international design competition was held, construction is scheduled to begin in August 2024. The building will have one basement floor and five above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 9,109.1㎡. It will include reading rooms, a materials room, and a book caf?. The project budget is approximately 55.2 billion KRW (excluding about 12.3 billion KRW for land costs). The construction companies are Seongrim ENC Co., Ltd. and Hanil Development Co., Ltd.

Council member Kim Yong-il previously conducted a policy inquiry in September 2022 during the 314th Seoul Metropolitan Council temporary session to urge the early construction of the Seoul Municipal (Gajaeul) Library. Since then, he has continuously and actively engaged in discussions with various stakeholders, including the Seoul City Cultural Facilities Department, to ensure the smooth progress of the library project.

He also proposed including the local name "Gajaeul" in the library’s name to help raise public awareness and promote the library.

Although the start of construction was delayed due to changes in the basic design, active cooperation from related departments has shortened the construction period from 36 months to 30 months. Construction will proceed over 30 months until February 2027, and a groundbreaking ceremony, including progress reports, is planned for October.

Seoul City Councilor Kim Yong-il (left) is receiving a report on the status of library construction from a Seoul city official.

Council member Kim Yong-il stated, “Although the groundbreaking was delayed compared to the original schedule, by shortening the construction period, I expect the library to be built without setbacks, fulfilling its role as a community hub and a public reading space.” He added, “I will continue to actively work to ensure the development of the Seoul Municipal (Gajaeul) Library proceeds as planned.”