Available for Enrollment Until October 31
The Korea Publishing and Culture Industry Promotion Agency announced on October 23 that the first round of the "2025 Regional Leading Bookstore Development Project" joint consulting sessions, aimed at strengthening the self-sufficiency of local bookstores, has successfully concluded across five regions nationwide. The agency also stated that the second round of online joint consulting sessions will be available for enrollment through SeojeomON until October 31.
The first round of joint consulting began at East Daejeon Library in Daejeon on September 25 and continued in Jeonju (September 30), Busan (October 13), Daegu (October 15), and Seoul (October 17). On-site sessions focused on practical training and workshops covering inventory management, POS system utilization, customer data analysis, and planning for local cultural programs. Local bookstore owners were able to participate in any region of their choice without restrictions, and those who attended in person received additional points when being considered for advanced consulting selection.
For bookstores unable to attend in person, the agency is offering a separate online joint consulting course. This online lecture, available until October 31, is a mandatory course for those applying for advanced consulting. It covers practical aspects of digital transformation and business structure improvement for bookstores.
The online course consists of three modules, identical to the offline lectures. The first module, "Digital Transformation of Bookstore Operations," covers how to integrate POS, inventory, and sales data to establish an efficient work management system, as well as how to implement online sales channels and customer analysis systems. The following module, "Bookstore Management Training Program," strengthens practical business skills such as profit and loss analysis, product assortment strategies, customer management, and sales maximization. The final module, "Digital Transformation Case Studies and Strategies," presents actionable strategies that bookstores can implement by introducing innovative examples from outstanding domestic and international bookstores, local curation and collaboration models, and regional partnership programs. These three modules form an integrated structure of "building a digital foundation-systematizing management-executing strategies," and are designed to provide practical training that can be immediately applied in the field after completion.
Bookstores that complete the joint consulting will receive expert on-site diagnosis and customized guidance during the subsequent advanced consulting stage. Advanced consulting consists of mandatory tasks such as building and managing digital infrastructure and operating smart book curation, as well as optional tasks like strengthening marketing and expanding the market. Bookstores that complete all tasks will receive up to 5.6 million won in support funds, with an additional incentive of 2 million won available for completing collaborative projects.
A representative from the Korea Publishing and Culture Industry Promotion Agency stated, "Local bookstores are not just retail spaces, but important cultural platforms that sustain local culture," and added, "We hope that through this online joint consulting, more bookstores will establish a digital foundation and secure sustainable competitiveness."
Meanwhile, the agency plans to hold a performance-sharing event and a bookstore network exchange meeting in November to share the results of this consulting initiative and to promote collaborative models among local bookstores in the future.
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