| 1988 |
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| Summer |
8 publishers, including Yi Ki-Ung, the president of Youlhwadang, had a serious discussion about accumulated and pending problems in the field of publication, especially the improvement of current problems in publishing and distribution, while they were climbing Mt. Bukhan. |
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| 1989 |
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| Sep. 05 |
The publishers held the Initiation Convention of the Promotion Committee of the Korean Publishing City Constructions. Each of about 200 publication-related companies contributed 10,000 US dollars for its promotion and Yi Ki-Ung, the president of Youlhwadang, was selected the promotion chairman. |
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| 1991 |
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| Jan. 08 |
360 publishers and publishing companies organized the establishment of a Cooperative of Ilsan Publishing City, and Yi Ki-Ung, the president of Youlhwadang, was appointed as the Chairman of the Board. Approval for establishing the union was obtained from Gyeonggi-do. |
| Jul. 10 |
Completed the basic plan for Ilsan Publishing City after receiving data, including basic purpose and objective, from Hwang Ki-Won, the professor of the Environmental Planning Institute of the Environmental School of Seoul National University. The basic plan was focused on the industrial, cultural and environmental functions the Ilsan Publishing City was expected to have. For this basic plan, the members of the union took part in three surveys. A lot of data about publication was studied and several conferences were held. Actually, the basic design contract for the publishing complex with Park Byung-Joo (the professor of Hongik University) and Kang Byung-Ki (the professor of Hanyang University) was modified because it was not apposite to the actual circumstances in relation to the business plan for the modernization of the publication distribution in new cities. |
| Sep. 18 |
As the basic plan was completed, the members of the union and the 200 participants of the third symposium gathered to establish an improvement strategy for the Ilsan Publishing City, professor Hwang Ki-Won explained the Basic Plan about the Ilsan Publishing City by projecting slides on to a screen, and Yi Ki-Ung, the Chairman of the Board, looked back upon the business promotion and foresaw the future. Also, a big discussion was held to investigate if the construction of the Ilsan Publishing City could be the base for the future of korean publication. |
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| 1992 |
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| Jan. 24 |
The Cooperative asked the Ministry of Construction and the Korea Land Development Corporation to designate the Distribution Center site as a public facility estate and received the answer that the Ilsan Publishing City should follow the procedure of the Promotion Law of Distribution Modernization. The Cooperative then submitted the implementation plan(draft) for the development of the distribution industry to the Economic Planning Board through the Ministry of Culture. As a result, the construction of the General Publications Distribution Center was included in the Implementation Plan of Distribution Modernization of the government. |
| Jan. 27 ~ 31 |
The Chairman of the Board attended the 24th Congress International Publishers Association(IPA). It was held with the theme ' Break Down the Publication Barrier for One World' in New Delhi, India. He made a presentation of the basic plan of the Ilsan Publishing City: promoting distribution efficiency, settlement of storehouse problem, and business efficiency. The world publishers were unstinting in their praises and wished us well towards a successful conclusion. |
| Mar. 16 |
The Chairman of the Board had lunch with the President and emphasized the importance of constructing the Ilsan Publishing City in order to improve the current problems in publishing and distribution. The President directed the relevant ministries to support the promotion of this business. |
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| 1993 |
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The development of the Ilsan Publishing City was interrupted because the Korea Land Development Corporation estimated the cost of land was too high. Accordingly, in 1993 everybody concentrated on purchasing a site for the Ilsan Publishing City. The members of the Cooperative gathered their opinions in the regular general meeting held in February and made field investigations of about 40 private lands in the area of the National Capital Region to check for appropriateness. In the meantime, they promoted the development of the Paju Book City, simultaneously trying to persuade the Civilian Government to recognize the need for the Publishing Culture and Information Industrial Complex. |
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| 1994 |
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| Jul. 01 |
The Chairman of the Board met over lunch at the Blue House, and explained the status of the publishing circle to the President. He also explained the importance and necessity for the construction of the publishing complex. At this meeting, the President requested cooperation from the relevant ministries for the publishing culture and industry complex. In the afternoon, through a press interview, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the establishment of the Paju Book City at its present site, Paju City, along with details of the plan. |
| Sep. 12 |
Held 'The Symposium for the Basic Plan of the Construction of the Publishing Culture and Information Industrial Complex'. With the theme [How will we construct the Publishing Culture and Information Industrial Complex], Lee O-Young, the former minister of the Ministry of Culture, emphasized that the Publishing Culture and Information Industrial Complex should be an information-oriented city synthesizing multimedia such as image and voice as well as letters and space for festivals and creations. In addition, the Korea Land Development Corporation, professor Hwang Ki-Won, and the members of the Cooperative, including the directors from relevant authorities, discussed how to create the most effective cultural and industrial space and collected the opinions of various circles. |
| Dec. 01 |
The Chairman of the Board and Hwang Ki-Won, (professor and team leader of the Environmental & Ecological Planning Laboratory of Seoul National University) reviewed the service order and the basic investigation for the construction of the Publishing Culture and Information Industrial Complex at the present site and finalized the contract on the draft of Bookcity in a report. The report included layouts of the general plan, the buildings in the land, the traffic, and other basic facilities. Through this contract, parts of the plan for Paju Book City that were weak due to cancellation of the Ilsan Publishing City project were re-arranged. |
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| 1995 |
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| Apr. 27 |
The Chairman of the Board discussed with the vice-minister of Ministry of Culture and Sports, the vice-president of the Korea Land Development Corporation, and military officials issued related to the establishment of the Publishing Culture and Information Industrial Complex and considered the promotion plan in its entirety. The discussion was held at Mt. Simhak where everybody could see the designated site for the complex. |
| Oct. 20 |
Formulated the name of the Paju Book City and publicly celebrated the naming ceremony in order to give it wider publicity. About 600 people from the press, the cultural organizations, academic circles etc. participated in the ceremony. |
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| 1997 |
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| Mar.31 |
Following the public announcement of the Designation Plan(Draft) of the National Industrial Complex in 1996, deliberation and resolution to make the site an industrial area was received from the National Capital Region Maintenance Committee. This was followed by the Designation Notice for the present site of the publishing complex, an area of 1,520,000m2, as a National Industrial Complex. |
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| 1998 |
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| Nov. 20 |
Spaded the first soil! Obtained approval for the Implementation Plan from the Seoul Regional Land Management Office of the Ministry of Construction and Transportation and chose the Korea Land Development Corporation as an operator for the establishment of the complex. Held a auspicious ground-breaking ceremony, in the presence of Prime Minister, for the successful construction of the first city for books. |
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| 1999 |
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| Jun. 30 |
With the beginning of the construction of the foundation facilities, the Cooperative of Paju Book City executed a purchase contract for the 1998 model area industrial estate, cultural facility estate, and commercial estate. Subsequently, after completing the purchase of the 2nd area industrial estate, the first regular reclamation of 860,000m2 of land was started. |
| Sep. 09 |
Opened the information center, "Inforoom" in Bookcity in order to supervise the construction of Bookcity, hold exhibitions and conferences, celebrate various events, and to have office space for staff as a bureau. |
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| 2000 |
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| Jan. 25 |
The architects, Seung H-Sang and Min Hyun-Shik, were appointed as Architectural Coordinators for completing the guidelines on architectural design of Bookcity. All buildings of Bookcity were to be constructed after receiving approval of the Bookcity Construction Deliberation Council. |
| Mar. 26 |
Held the Roof-raising Ceremony for the Korean traditional house owned by Jung-eub Kim's family. Also held an event to celebrate the designation of the title of district superintendent of the construction of the Bookcity to Ahn Jung-Geun, This event demonstrated the strong will to establish Bookcity harmonizing traditional buildings with modern buildings based on spiritual strength. |
| Apr. 26 |
Arrived at an agreement [The Great Contract] for directing the construction of all the buildings in Bookcity, and to establish a sound publishing and architectural culture. Held the Signing Ceremony for the joint architectural contract for the model area. As a symbol of the spirit of our times, this agreement also had the effect of simultaneously wiping out accumulated dislike about architecture and distrust about publication. |
| Jun. 17 |
Bookcity was invited to a festival for international architects at the Venice Architecture Biennale. The model of Bookcity, along with model buildings constructed for the practice of community, was displayed for 3 months. |
| Oct. 10 |
Held a symposium to illuminate the urban characteristics of the Bookcity following the change in publishing environment and held a Light-on Ceremony for the symbol representing Bookcity: [Light of Wisdom]by Jeon Soo-Chun. |
| Dec. 30 |
Executed a contract for the basic design of the Asia Publication Culture & Information Center, the key public culture facility, with Kim Byung-Yoon, the winner of the final prize-winning design for the center. |
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| 2001 |
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| Jun. 15 |
Held the groundbreaking ceremony for Bookcity. The first spading of the soil was for an office building in the model area of the Asia Publication Culture & Information Center, which would be constructed with a 50% subsidy from the government. |
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| 2002 |
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| Dec. 24 |
As the construction of the Education & Research Block was completed in the Asia Publication Culture & Information Center, held the ceremony of laying the cornerstone of the General Publications Distribution Center, the key building of Bookcity, at the Event Hall and the Conference Room. |
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| 2003 |
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| Jun. 03 |
Celebrated Urban Architectural Festival of Bookcity to assess the current situation based on the first plan and the urban goals for Bookcity, and held a forum to consider various ways to manage Bookcity after its completion. |
| Dec. 22 |
Established the Bookcity Culture Foundation to realize the urban goal of Bookcity and revitalize the City so that it would lead in the knowledge and information age of the 21st century and to operate and manage the international multi-cultural research facility, the Asia Publication Culture & Information Center. Yi Ki-Ung, the president of Youlhwadang, was appointed as the Chairman of the Board. |
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| 2004 |
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| Jun. 23 |
Completed the Asia Publication Culture & Information Center for the development and promotion of the Korean publishing culture and industry. The purpose of this center is to support all activities, including book fair, exchange and research of international publishing culture, study, writing and translation, and also to implement the functions of education, exhibition, public performances, etc. as a key facility of Bookcity. |
| Jun. 24 |
Completed the E-Che Shopping Mall expanded approximately to 72,700m2. This shopping mall appropriately meets the demands of Seoul and the wider metropolitan area, absorbing tourists and further serving as a facility supporting the vitalization of Bookcity. It includes many kinds of facilities such as movie theaters, health spa, jazz theater, the theater for Nanta, and fashion malls. |
| Jun. 29 |
Completed the General Publications Distribution Center, Booxen, for standardizing and automating the publication distribution system. This center introduced a publication distribution system with the most advanced automation to support the seasonable management needs of publishing companies and bookstores. It also offered publications promptly and correctly consumers at low prices. |
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| 2005 |
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Bookcity is almost completed and various events related in books are held. Chang Do-Lee's Monodrama 'Dancing Monkey, Red Peter' stirred the imagination of the people involved in publication and stimulated intellectual curiosity of others. The music critic, Chang Il-Bum performed 'Class of Opera Music Appreciation ?Accompanied by Explanation'. 'DMZ 2005 International Modern Art Exhibition' was held in order to reinterpret politics, society, economy, culture, and geopolitical particularity of the Demilitarized Zone(DMZ), by the form of private views of international artists. Held 'World Life-Culture Forum - Gyeonggi 2005 was held. 2005 Paju Children's Book Festival with the title 'Children's Book ? Exciting Imaginary World' was celebrated including various events including the children's sight-adjusted book exhibition, open house, and booktown exhibition. All of the events attracted domestic and foreign attention and gained popularity.
In addition, Bookcity was invited to the world book festival, Frankfurt Book Fair, in October. This is an opportunity to show international publishers the uniqueness of Bookcity: integrating publication planning, editing, design, printing, and distribution. Prior to this, in September, Bookcity was invited to the Berlin Architecture Exhibition and drew the attention of citizens of the world as a city for publication as well as a city filled with beautiful buildings. |
| Aug. |
The 2ndPhase Bookcity Committee was established to achieve a cultural renaissance through a beautiful combination of movies and books. |
| Oct. |
The Bookcity Culture Foundation hosted large-scale events at the Asia Publication Culture and Information Center, such as the Interchange Symposium of East Asian Book 2005 and the World Life-Culture Forum, as well as the Bookcity Europe Architecture traveling exhibition. |
| Oct. 05 |
Published the first book, [The Bookcity News], about news and events in Bookcity for communicating among members of Bookcity. |
| Oct. 07 |
Invited Sugiura Kohei(Japanese), Lu Jing Ren(Chinese), Huang Yung Sung(Taiwanese), Chung Byung-Kyoo(Korean) and the other publication-related people in East Asia. Held a symposium to analyze the exchange status of publication culture and to consider plans for co-operation. Inaugurated Sugiura Kohei's Book Design Exhibition. |
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| 2006 |
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| Aug. |
As the 1stphase of the Bookcity project was almost completed, the 2nd phase development plan was set up and announced at a press conference. |
| Oct. |
The Paju Bookcity Forum 2006 and the Fall Book Festival were successfully held under the name of the Paju Bookcity Book Festival. The Interchange Symposium of East Asian Book was established as an annual event. |
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| 2007 |
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| Apr. |
The construction of guesthouse Jijihyang was finished, which was the last step toward the completion of the Asia Publication Culture and Information Center, seven years after groundbreaking. This also heralded a near-completion of the 1stphase of the Bookcity, 19 years after groundbreaking. The 2nd phase of the project started in earnest. |
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