The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Publishing Industry Promotion Agency said Sunday they will take part in the 63rd Bologna Children’s Book Fair, running April 13-16 at BolognaFiere in Italy, to step up efforts to expand the global market for Korean children’s publishing content.
Korea will operate a 352-square-meter area centered on an export consultation zone and an author promotion zone, aiming to showcase the strength of Korean picture books and children’s literature and deliver tangible export results.
In the export consultation zone, organizers will focus on one-on-one business meetings between Korean and overseas publishers. A total of 39 Korean publishers, including Changbi Publishers, Sakyejul Publishing and Dasan Books, will run individual booths. A professional agency will also handle export consultations for 100 titles submitted on behalf of 27 companies that cannot attend in person. Last year, 40 Korean publishers joined the consultation zone and held 556 export meetings.
Organizers said they will support talks by arranging pre-scheduled meetings with overseas buyers, providing professional interpreters and producing an English directory introducing participating companies’ books. A “Networking Day” is set for April 14 to promote exchanges among publishing professionals. After the fair, displayed books will be donated to King Sejong Institutes and local universities to broaden access to Korean publishing content.
The author promotion zone will highlight Korea’s creative range in children’s publishing by exhibiting representative works and original illustrations from 15 Korean authors. A total of 109 books, including key titles by 10 authors attending the fair, will be displayed. Organizers will run 16 author programs to introduce the writers’ work in greater depth.
A special lecture will feature author Lee Geum-yi, a finalist in the writing category for the 2026 Hans Christian Andersen Award, often described as the “Nobel Prize of children’s literature.” Organizers will also host book talks and a special exhibition centered on works that won the BolognaRagazzi Award in March, aiming to underscore the international standing of Korean children’s publishing.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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