Books Now Stand Where the KBS Transmission Tower Once Rose... "Guro Munhwa Nuri" Opens After 16 Years

Guro District Mayor Jang Inhong: "A community shelter and central library for residents"
A complex cultural space for learning, relaxation, and enjoyment

At 2 p.m. on the 24th, residents gathered at 123 Gaebong-ro 20-gil, Gaebong-dong, Guro District, Seoul. It is the site where the KBS transmission tower once stood tall.

On the upper part of the neat exterior wall of gray brick accented with glass windows and black frames, the logo reading "Guro Munhwa Nuri" stands out clearly. It was the day when the name, chosen through a public contest among residents, shone in the sunlight.

Jang Inhong, Mayor of Guro District, is greeting teenagers at the youth hangout Moyeoguro. Provided by Guro District.

At the opening ceremony of the multi-purpose cultural space "Guro Munhwa Nuri," the Grand Nuri Hall on the 4th floor of the library building was filled with about 200 attendees, including Guro District Mayor Jang Inhong, members of the National Assembly, city and district council members, and local residents.

From youth hangouts to a library and lifelong learning center

After the ceremony, participants walked through every corner of the two-wing building to explore the new space. On the 1st floor of the library wing (floors 1 to 4, total floor area 5,104 square meters), the first thing that caught the eye was the youth hangout "Moyeoguro." The cake-cutting event to celebrate the opening was held there. As the candles were blown out and applause broke out, the aroma of coffee wafted from the book cafe and spread throughout the space.

On the same floor, the House of Literature Guro, a creative support space for writers, the Our Neighborhood Childcare Center, and the IT Education Room also opened one after another. Along the entire route from the library on the 2nd and 3rd floors up to the 4th floor, bookshelves continued into every nook and cranny.

In the Lifelong Learning Center wing (floors 1 to 3, 2,772 square meters), which is connected to the library wing, a special stretching class was held in a 3rd-floor lecture room to commemorate the opening. In addition, this wing houses the Public Interest Activity Support Center, the Guro Scholarship Foundation, the Red Cross Volunteer Society, and a lounge for environmental officers. Foreign language special lectures are also offered at the World Cafe on the 1st floor.

One of the key aspects of this opening is that it is the first directly operated public library in Guro District. Mayor Jang Inhong explained, "By designating Guro Munhwa Nuri as the central library, we have established a foundation to systematically oversee the district-wide library policy and book- and culture-related events." Existing commissioned libraries will be gradually integrated as their consignment periods expire, and a library network will be established.

"We will build a comprehensive social welfare center and expand youth-only spaces"

It took 16 years for this site to take its current shape. After the decision to purchase the land in 2012, it took seven years to draw up a plan to build a cultural complex town, and construction could only begin in June 2023. A total of 34.9 billion won has been invested in the project.

Mayor Jang also mentioned the remaining tasks. He said, "There should be at least one comprehensive social welfare center, including various sports facilities, for every 100,000 residents," adding, "Guro District has a population of 400,000 but only three comprehensive social welfare centers, so we plan to build the Gaebong-dong Comprehensive Social Welfare Center on the site next to Guro Munhwa Nuri." This facility is planned as a multi-purpose complex that will include an underground swimming pool, with construction targeted to begin next year.

Jang Inhong, Guro District Mayor, is touring the facilities of the Guro Munhwa Nuri Library with guests. Provided by Guro District.

The challenge is funding. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has suspended new support after the number of welfare centers across the city exceeded 100. The facility must be built and operated entirely with the district’s own budget. Mayor Jang said, "If the earlier-built centers receive support while areas that have long lacked welfare centers and whose residents have borne the inconvenience receive no support, that would actually be unfair," adding, "We need fair criteria at the city level."

Expanding youth-only spaces is another urgent task cited by Mayor Jang. He said, "Demand is growing for spaces where teenagers can rest, play, and interact," and added, "We will continuously increase the number of spaces that young people need."

Meanwhile, starting today, Guro Munhwa Nuri will begin full-scale program operations, including a book talk by announcer Lee Geumhee, humanities lectures, and the Guro Life School. The library wing will begin trial operations this month and officially open on July 1 this year, while the Lifelong Learning Center wing will begin full operations on March 3.

Exterior view of Guro Munhwa Nuri. Provided by Guro District.