"Libraries Nurture People Even in the Age of AI"... 3,000 Library Professionals to Gather in Busan

World Library and Information Congress Returns to Korea After 20 Years
Yoo Ji-tae Appointed as Ambassador, Gathering of 3,000 Global Experts

"As a child, I spent a lot of time in the library waiting for my mother, who was a nurse. It was there that I realized how deeply novels can influence a person's emotions."

Participants are taking a commemorative photo at the press conference and ambassador appointment ceremony for the 2026 Busan World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) held on the 9th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Actor Yoo Ji-tae stood at the press conference hall of the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, on July 9. On the screen was the phrase "2026 Busan World Library and Information Congress (WLIC)." This event was held to announce the world's largest international library conference, which will take place next month at BEXCO in Busan. On this day, Yoo Ji-tae was appointed as an ambassador for the conference. Dressed in a black suit, he took the podium and described libraries as "the social foundation that allows everyone to have equal access to knowledge and information." He also added, "It is regrettable that, in an age where smartphones and AI are advancing rapidly, the unique value of books and movies is being reduced to a mere issue of physical space."

The National Committee for the 2026 Busan World Library and Information Congress held a press conference and ambassador appointment ceremony on the same day, publicly sharing the progress of the event's preparations. This year's congress will be held at BEXCO in Busan from August 10 to 13. The theme is "Libraries Powering Transformation." It will be the first time in 20 years that Korea hosts the event, following the Seoul congress in 2006. More than 3,000 professionals, policy makers, researchers, and business representatives from the library and information sectors in over 150 countries are expected to visit Busan.

The focus of the press conference was not simply to introduce an international event, but to address "the role of libraries in the AI era." The presenters did not describe libraries as facilities for storing and lending books. Instead, the core agenda was how libraries can protect public access to knowledge in an era where AI curates information and searching is replacing reading. At the venue, topics such as AI, digital transformation, the information gap, the public nature of knowledge, cybersecurity, and the climate crisis were repeatedly discussed.

On the 9th, Jeong Yeonwook, Co-Organizing Chairman, is delivering a greeting at the press briefing and ambassador appointment ceremony for the 2026 Busan World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) held at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Lee Jinwoo, president of the Korean Library Association and executive committee member of the WLIC National Committee, said, "This congress is an opportunity to share examples of innovation in Korean libraries with the world," adding, "It will also be an important platform to promote Korean culture and the attractions of Busan." Jeong Yeonwook, co-organizing committee chairman and member of the People Power Party, described the WLIC as "the Olympics for the library community," saying, "It is a chance to showcase Korea’s advanced library policies, information culture, and the strengths of K-Culture to the world."

Assemblyman Cha Jiho of the Democratic Party of Korea emphasized the public nature of libraries. He stated, "Public libraries are a key infrastructure for reducing gaps in knowledge and information," and stressed, "In the age of AI, it is crucial to discuss how to maintain the public nature of knowledge and access to information." The point is to focus on the gap between those who have access to technology and those who do not, rather than simply the speed of technological change.

This year's congress will feature over 180 sessions. Major programs will address AI and the digital environment, with topics such as "AI for All?", "Libraries in the Age of AI," and "Library Cybersecurity." Before and after the main event, there will be satellite meetings and library tour programs. International participants will visit Busan and other major libraries across Korea to learn about how Korean libraries operate and to experience regional cultural infrastructure.

Actor Yoo Ji-tae is speaking about his appointment feelings at the press conference and ambassador appointment ceremony for the 2026 Busan World Library and Information Congress (WLIC), held on the 9th at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

The ambassador appointment ceremony was a symbolic moment of the press conference. Yoo Ji-tae described the commonality between books and movies as "cultures that help people grow." The appointment of a film actor as ambassador can be interpreted as a decision not to confine the congress's message to internal library discourse. It reflects an intent to expand the concept of libraries beyond spaces for librarians and researchers, and to explain them as a cultural foundation for the public.

This is also the question that will be on the minds of library professionals gathering in Busan next month. In an era when AI rapidly summarizes knowledge, why are libraries still necessary? The answer provided at the press conference was clear: a library is not just a building filled with books, but a public infrastructure that opens the right to access knowledge to everyone.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.