"‘Selling All Han River Books, Now Talking About Coexistence’ - Local Bookstore’s Anger"

National Neighborhood Bookstore Network Statement Released
"Fix the Essence, Not 'Win-Win Marketing'"

Kyobo Bookstore temporarily suspended the sale of books by Nobel Literature Prize-winning author Han Kang, citing "coexistence with local bookstores," but local bookstores remain angry, demanding a proper book distribution system. They claim that Kyobo, which operates both retail and wholesale, has effectively monopolized sales by halting wholesale.

On the 22nd, a temporary suspension notice for books by Han Kang, the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate, was posted at Kyobo Bookstore Hapjeong Branch in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Kyobo Bookstore announced that it will suspend the sale of Han Kang's books at some stores until the end of this month to promote coexistence with local bookstores. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

The National Network of Local Bookstores, a nationwide coalition of small bookstores, recently pointed out that "books must be supplied promptly to local bookstores, which serve as grassroots reading culture platforms." They stated, "After Han Kang won the Nobel Literature Prize, many readers ordered her books from regional bookstores and local shops, but even after a week, the stores could only ask customers to wait," adding, "Kyobo stopped wholesale and monopolized sales through its own retail channels, and it took a long time to receive books wholesale from Yes24 and Aladin as well."

They continued, "Large bookstores that also handle wholesale have a legal obligation to supply books to bookstores nationwide, yet they blocked book supply to bookstores across the country and focused solely on sales through their own online and offline stores. As the issue escalated, they have been misleading the public about the essence of the situation under the guise of 'coexistence marketing.'"

On the morning of the 5th, a citizen is purchasing a book by Han Kang, a novelist who won the Nobel Prize in Literature, at Kyobo Bookstore Gwanghwamun Branch in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Earlier, on the 21st, Kyobo Bookstore posted a notice at its Gwanghwamun store in Jongno-gu, Seoul, stating, "To promote coexistence with local bookstores, the sale of Han Kang's books will be temporarily restricted from the 22nd to the 31st of this month," and "Sales will resume on November 1. During this period, please purchase Han Kang's books from nearby local bookstores." This followed claims by the Korea Federation of Bookstore Associations (Bookstore Federation) on the 17th that "Kyobo Bookstore did not supply Han Kang's novels to local bookstores." The Bookstore Federation asserted, "On the day Han Kang won the Nobel Literature Prize on the 10th, Kyobo Bookstore blocked orders through its distribution service that bookstores could use," and "From the 15th, they announced a limit of 10 copies per title of Han Kang's books per order, but they did not even adhere to this."

The Bookstore Network questioned, "In a situation where business ethics have collapsed, how can small bookstores continue to trust and trade with large wholesalers?" They urged, "Establish a publishing-bookstore council to ensure transparency in book distribution and enact wise related laws to prevent such incidents from happening again." They also warned, "Publishers who only turn to local bookstores when necessary must recognize that the anger of hundreds of bookstores nationwide is by no means small."