Reading led by "Hangangang Syndrome"...Ulsan Library 'Bookjeok'...

[Anchor]
On the 10th of last month, Han Kang, the first Korean writer, was honored with the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Starting from this, Ulsan's main libraries are crowded with more citizens visiting books such as works by Han Kang.

JCN Ulsan Central Broadcasting Station Reporter Jeon Jeon-hun reports.

[Reporter]
The books of Han Kang, who received the Nobel Prize in Literature for the first time in Korea, are gathered in one place.

Beyond that, you can see people sitting next to the bookshelf, opening the book and reading it carefully word by word.

A citizen who was reading a book says that he became interested in reading books because of Han Kang's award.

[Oh Min-jeong / Yaeum-dong, Nam-gu, Ulsan: I didn't know his work well, but I searched on the Internet a lot, looked it up, and even when I went to a bookstore, I saw his work again without coming....]

There is also a young man who came to the library because he became interested in Han Kang's books based on historical events.

[Cho Min-gyu / Ulsan Nam-gu Shinjeong-dong: I think it's an opportunity to reflect on the painful history of our country that we didn't know before]

As interest in reading has increased, the number of library book borrowers has also increased significantly.

As of the 10th of last month, the Nobel Prize winning date, a survey of the number of book borrowers in the three weeks before and after the war showed that all five major libraries in Ulsan increased from at least 7% to up to 16%.

The number of borrowers from the 11th of last month to the 3rd has risen by up to 16% compared to the same period last year.

In the library, we plan to focus on the reading promotion project so that the reading boom does not end in a flash of popularity and is maintained.

[Manager Kang Jin-ah / Ulsan Library Information Service Division: We will continue to promote the book return project and this year's book business that can interest you in books. We will continue our interest in reading by creating an environment where all citizens can read anytime, anywhere, such as expanding free delivery and e-books.]

The reading culture that had been marginalized, with the overall adult reading rate hitting 43 percent last year, the lowest since the start of the related survey.

In Ulsan, an unexpected "Han River Syndrome" is also revitalizing the reading life.

This is JCN News' Jeon Dong-Hae.

Reporter for filming
: Park Kyung-rin
Graphic: Reasonji