Korea’s Publishing Institute Expands Regional Bookstore Consulting Program to 120 Stores

The Korean Publishing Industry Promotion Agency will broaden its support for independent regional bookstores through a 2026 consulting program covering about 120 stores, up from 71 last year.

The program will run on two separate tracks: a common training course called the Leading Bookstore Academy, and advanced consulting in which experts visit participating stores. Under the revised system, bookstores can apply for advanced consulting without first completing the common course.

The training will introduce the use of generative artificial intelligence. Consultants, including representatives from large bookstore chains, will share practical approaches to inventory management, book curation and the use of sales data.

The common course begins in Seoul on the 16th and will continue across five regions, including Busan, Gwangju, Daegu and Daejeon. It will cover changes in the bookstore environment, related policies, brand marketing, AI tools and examples of operational improvements. Online training videos will also be available from Nov. 12.

Bookstores can apply for advanced consulting through the BookstoreON website until 5 p.m. on the 11th. Selected stores will receive three rounds of on-site assessments and tailored advice from October through December, with two experts assigned to each store.

The agency will provide expense support to bookstores that carry out improvement tasks based on the consulting results. Eligible stores can receive up to 2 million won for digital infrastructure and up to 3 million won for smart book curation, for a maximum of 5 million won per store. After the consulting ends, the agency plans to select outstanding bookstores and offer follow-up programs, including participation in book fairs and visits to leading bookstores in South Korea. It also plans to create a network and mentoring program for participating stores.