National Library of Korea

The National Library of Korea is the national library of the Republic of Korea, opened on October 15, 1945, shortly after Korea’s liberation.

Under the legal deposit system set out in the Library Act, the library has collected all publications issued in Korea since 1965, preserving the nation’s cultural heritage. Located on Banpo-daero in Seocho-gu, Seoul, the main building was constructed in 1988, and the library’s collection surpassed 15 million volumes in 2025.

To provide more specialized services and expand public access to knowledge, the library established branch libraries, including the National Library for Children and Young Adults in 2006 and the National Library of Sejong in 2013.

36-1. National Library of Korea(out)
36-2. National Library of Korea(in)

Library Overview

  • Library Name: National Library of Korea
  • Address: 201, Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul
  • Facilities: Site Area 65,845㎡; Gross Floor Area 34,773㎡ (B1-7F)

Floor

Spaces

6F-7F

Offices

5F

Rare Books Room

4F

General Collection

3F

Periodicals Room, Research Services Room

2F

Literature Room, Permanent Exhibition Gallery

1F

Lockers, Exhibition Hall

B1

Digital Library

  • Parking: 374 spaces (217 underground, 157 above ground)
  • Staff: 234 (including 148 librarians)
  • Opened: October 15, 1945 (current building opened on May 28, 1998)

Main Features

  • The national library of the Republic of Korea
  • National documentary archive collecting and preserving all publications issued in Korea
  • National center for bibliographic control, standardizing national bibliography and sharing bibliographic data domestically and internationally
  • The only institution in Korea providing professional education and training for librarians

 

Nearby Attractions: Cultural Venues, Parks, Temples, and Local Dining

  • Seocho Montmartre Park 
  • Pi Cheon-deuk Trail