10th Jigwanseoga Opens in Suwon, the Birthplace of SK, Marking the Largest Ever

Opening of a Cultural Space in Suwon by SK Chemicals and Suwon Special City
Following Ulsan, Andong, Yeoju, and Others, Now the Largest at 740 Square Meters

SK Chemicals and Suwon Special City have introduced an open humanities and cultural complex space for citizens in Suwon, the birthplace of SK Group.

On April 24, SK Chemicals announced that it had held the opening ceremony for 'Suwon Jigwanseoga' in partnership with Suwon Special City, dedicated to citizens. Suwon is where Sunkyung Textiles, the origin of SK Group, was located.

JaeHyun Ahn, President of SK Chemicals (right), and JaeJun Lee, Mayor of Suwon Special City (left), held the opening ceremony of 'Suwon Jigwanseoga' and took a commemorative photo. SK Chemicals

Jigwanseoga is a humanities and cultural complex library created to support citizens' mental well-being and happy lives. SK Group currently operates six Jigwanseoga libraries in Ulsan, and one each in Andong, Yeoju, and Uljin, making Suwon the tenth location. The name 'Jigwan' means 'to pause and observe,' reflecting the idea of taking a moment away from the busyness of daily life to reflect on oneself and the world, and to discover wisdom for living.

Suwon Jigwanseoga, which opened after remodeling part of the Lifelong Learning Center in Uman-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon, is a two-story facility with a total area of 740 square meters, making it the largest of the ten Jigwanseoga libraries nationwide. The first floor consists of bookshelves and a cafe space, while the second floor is a reading area centered around bookshelves. The library houses a total of about 900 books. In addition, an outdoor garden has been created next to the bookshelves, forming an independent space separated from the existing Lifelong Learning Center.

Suwon Jigwanseoga plans to host citizen participation programs such as humanities lectures and book discussions every month, inviting scholars and intellectuals from various fields. SK Chemicals and Suwon Special City hope that through these efforts, Jigwanseoga will become an open humanities space where all generations can freely share their thoughts.

JaeJun Lee, Mayor of Suwon Special City, said, "I hope that Jigwanseoga will become a space for rest and learning where citizens can drop by at any time to read books and experience the humanities. I also expect it to grow into a local cultural landmark enjoyed by all generations, creating synergy with the ongoing programs of the Lifelong Learning Center."

JaeHyun Ahn, President of SK Chemicals, stated, "It is especially meaningful to open Jigwanseoga for citizens in Suwon, which was at the heart of SK's early days and served as the foundation for the group's growth. We will not stop at simply operating Jigwanseoga, but will continue to seek various opportunities to contribute to Suwon and the local community."

Meanwhile, about 100 people attended the opening ceremony, including JaeHyun Ahn, CEO of SK Chemicals, JaeJun Lee, Mayor of Suwon Special City, Sunjae Choi, Director of the Plato Academy Foundation, as well as local figures from the cultural and arts community and citizens.