Consultations with 15 Korean Publishers
22 Companies from the Czech Republic, 35 from Poland
Export Consultations for 100 Consigned Titles
The "Traveling Book Fair" aimed at expanding the presence of K-Book in Eastern European markets will be held in the Czech Republic and Poland until May 16.
This event, co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea, was organized to promote the overseas expansion of Korean publishing content. Since 2015, three to four business consultation sessions targeting overseas companies have been held annually. Last year, the event connected 49 Korean companies with 108 overseas companies in Japan, Indonesia, and Spain, resulting in a total of 609 export consultations.
This is the first time the "Traveling Book Fair" is being held in the Czech Republic and Poland. Recently, Korean literature, webtoons, web novels, and Korean language textbooks have been gaining attention as popular content in Eastern European countries, raising expectations for export growth. The book fair will take place at the Grand Hotel International in Prague, Czech Republic, on May 12 and 13, and at the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw, Poland?Eastern Europe's largest publishing market?on May 15 and 16, as part of the Warsaw International Book Fair, where Korea will participate as the guest of honor and hold export consultations. Various cultural and artistic programs will also be presented.
Fifteen Korean publishing companies, including Munhakdongne, MiraeN, Bear Books, and Jaeumgwa Moeum, will participate in this event. Green Book Agency will be responsible for export consultations on 100 titles entrusted by domestic publishers unable to attend in person.
In the Czech Republic, 22 companies will participate, including Albatros Media, the country's largest publishing group, and Argo, which has translated and published works by Korean authors such as Han Kang, Jeong Youjeong, and Kim Youngha. In Poland, 35 companies will participate, including S.I.W. ZNAK, a leading Polish publishing company, and Wydawnictwo Agora, to hold export consultations with Korean publishers.
During the consultation period, seminars will also be held to introduce trends in the Czech and Polish publishing markets to Korean publishers. After the consultations, exhibition books will be donated to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Czech Republic and the Korean Cultural Center in Poland to support the continued spread of Korean publishing content.
Following the "Traveling Book Fair" in the Czech Republic and Poland, K-Book export consultations will be held in Taiwan in July, the United States in September, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), in November. In particular, as this year marks the first time the "Traveling Book Fair" is being held in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Dubai in the Middle East, it is expected to serve as a catalyst for spreading the K-Book phenomenon worldwide.
Lim Seonghwan, Director-General of Media Policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "As interest in Korean publications continues to rise in Eastern European countries, we will use the 'Traveling Czech-Poland Book Fair' to promote Korea's excellent publishing content in the Eastern European market, build partnerships with major local publishers, and support copyright exports, thereby expanding the foundation of our publishing industry."
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