- From June 14 to 18, over 530 publishers and 215 authors and speakers from 36 countries will gather to explore the theme “NONHUMAN, Becoming Human Beyond Humanity” through 170 diverse programs.

 - Sharjah, UAE, participates as the Guest of Honor country and Canada as the “Spotlight Country” for the SIBF 2023.

 - Spreading the charm of K-books worldwide, going beyond Asia’s publishing exchange hub

The Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF) 2023, the largest book festival in South Korea and a platform that connects Korea with the world through books, is now open.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister PARK Bo Gyoon, MCST) and the Korean Publishers Association (Chairman YOON Chul Ho, KPA) host the “Seoul International Book Fair 2023” at COEX (Gangnam-gu, Seoul) from June 14 (Wed) to 18 (Sun). This year’s book fair, which is the 65th since its first inception in 1954, aims to promote the charm of K-books on a global scale, going beyond Asia and becoming a central hub for international publishing exchange and a platform for marketing advancement. The event is expanded compared to last year, breaking free from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister PARK Bo Gyoon said, “The role of books, which form the foundation of K-culture, is crucial for Korea to become a country of cultural attractiveness. I hope the SIBF will serve as a platform that connects Korea and the world through books, becoming a hub for global publishing exchange and marketing. In this book fair, bringing together various stakeholders of authors, publishers, and readers, I look forward to the exchange of book culture and the creation of future discourse based on the values of freedom and solidarity.”

Last week, the MCST held the “Vision Declaration Ceremony for the Leap of the K-Book” to promote the global leap of K-books. During the ceremony, Minister PARK expressed the commitment to establishing a sustainable industrial ecosystem for Korean publishing, nurturing K-books as a leading content exporter, and supporting fair enjoyment of reading culture and the creative ecosystem. The goal is to enable K-books to flourish and contribute to a thriving cultural era.

Six ambassadors for this year's Book Fair with the theme of “NONHUMAN, Becoming Human Beyond Humanity. Also Various exhibitions and lectures to be delivered

This year’s theme is “NONHUMAN, Becoming Human Beyond Humanity.” With the intention of moving away from a human-centered perspective and reflecting on marginalized humans and nonhuman entities, various exhibitions, lectures, and seminars will be held. Divided into five categories, namely, “Disappearance,” “Resistance,” “Acceleration,” “Intersection,” and “Possibility,” a total of over 600 books will be exhibited, aiming to explore new ways of life beyond human existence.

This year, Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is participating as the Guest of Honor. Sharjah is known as a cultural and artistic hub in the UAE and was designated as the UNESCO World Book Capital in 2019. With the strengthened cultural exchange and cooperation between the two countries, demonstrated by President YOON Suk Yeol’s visit to the UAE in January this year, it is expected that the publishing exchange and cooperation between the two countries will further advance through the hosting of the Book Fair as a significant event. Sharjah Pavilion will present various lectures and workshops on topics such as contemporary Arabic literature, Arab literary culture, the current state of the Arab publishing market, and Sharjah’s journalism. In addition, there will be digital art workshops and traditional band performances. On the other hand, Korea will participate as the Guest of Honor at the Sharjah International Book Fair, which will be held in November. This participation is expected to promote the charm of K-books and K-culture in the Middle East region, potentially leading to a second Middle East boom in interest and engagement.

This year, Canada, celebrating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Korea, participates as the “Spotlight Country.” Yann Martel, the author of “Life of Pi” and winner of the 2002 Man Booker Prize, delivered a lecture on the theme of “What is the essence of being human?” (June 14). Other events include a dialogue with Korean novelist KIM Jung Hyuk (June 15) and a book signing event with Korean readers (June 17).

More information about this book fair is available on the official website (https://sibf.or.kr).