Jeonbuk Representative Library to be Completed in 2026

Passed Local Fiscal Investment Review... Construction Gains Momentum
Designed by Architect Lee Eun-young, Landmark Expected

The 'Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Representative Library Construction Project,' set to become a new cultural landmark in Jeonbuk, is being actively promoted with the goal of starting construction within this year.

According to Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province on the 25th, the local finance investment review by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety for the representative library construction project was completed on the 18th. Accordingly, construction and supervision service orders are currently underway this month, with completion scheduled by the end of 2026.

Perspective view of the 'Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Representative Library' scheduled for completion in 2026.
[Photo by Jeonbuk Province]

The representative library construction project initially received conditional approval for local finance investment review in 2020 with a total project cost of 49.2 billion KRW. However, due to increases in material and labor costs last year, the project cost rose to 60 billion KRW, prompting the implementation of a feasibility study and a second-stage local finance investment review from the end of last year, as required by the central local finance investment review conditions.

The representative library will be located in Jang-dong, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju City, and will be constructed with one basement floor and four above-ground floors. It will include various facilities such as the Jeonbuk Studies Reference Room, a shared preservation stack, general reading rooms, and a cafeteria. Serving as the control tower overseeing Jeonbuk’s library policies, it will play a central role in information exchange and coordination among various libraries in the region.

The design is entrusted to the world-renowned architect Eun-Young Lee. Affiliated with Yi Architects in Germany, she participated in the design competition aiming to modernize Western and traditional architecture based on Korean architecture. This architect is famous as the designer of the Stuttgart Library in Germany, selected by CNN as one of the '7 Most Beautiful Libraries in the World.' She will also be directly involved in the construction process to faithfully reflect the design intent of the representative library.

Meanwhile, the library to be built will be a cultural facility accessible to everyone, providing cultural experiences not only to local residents but also to domestic and international tourists. The library’s facilities and services are expected to greatly contribute to the cultural development of the Jeonbuk region. Additionally, it is anticipated to contribute to regional economic revitalization through job creation and attracting cultural tourists after completion.

Choi Byung-kwan, the Deputy Governor, stated, "The construction of this representative library is an important project that elevates Jeonbuk’s cultural status," adding, "Once completed, the library will become an attractive cultural space for both local residents and visitors from home and abroad through the modernization of tradition."