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| yna@yna.co.kr 2025-10-14 15:54:06
SEOUL, Oct. 14 (Yonhap) -- As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly permeates daily life, the role of libraries as centers of knowledge is being redefined.
Kim Hee-sop, director of the National Library of Korea, says libraries are more important than ever as “ethical guides and curators of information.”
During a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency, Kim said, “Now is the time when the value of libraries becomes even clearer, as AI becomes more naturally integrated into everyday life.”
Inside the library’s “AI Immersive Study,” which has been in pilot operation since March, readers can place a book on a digital table to instantly view summaries, keyword visuals, and even video introductions. By comparing two books, the system can generate topic-based comparison charts — making it possible to grasp key ideas in minutes without reading the full text.
For instance, readers can understand the neuroscience-themed book “8-Second Humanity” (Future Window) in just a few minutes.
A veteran in both information technology and library science, Kim previously worked as a senior researcher at the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) and later as a professor of library and information science at Kyungpook National University before assuming his current role in June last year.
“AI requires high-quality, diverse datasets to improve performance,” Kim said. “Libraries are best suited to provide such data, as they preserve humanity’s intellectual assets — from historical records to modern digital materials.”
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the National Library, which is now focusing on AI innovation. The library recently launched “Library Plus(+),” a knowledge curation platform that explores how new technologies such as AI can be utilized.
The library also plans to introduce an “AI agent” service to help users search for books more easily and receive personalized recommendations based on their reading patterns.
Kim said, “Our search service must evolve into an AI-based intelligent system. We are developing a specialized language model trained on our collection of about 14.6 million books.”
Reflecting on his second year in office, Kim said he feels both pride and responsibility. “Working for the nation’s central library is an honor, but it also comes with great accountability. There’s still much to learn and adapt to in this evolving environment,” he said.
Kim added that his early research on AI in the late 1980s has become highly relevant today. “It’s exciting to think about how to apply AI to the library field,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of collecting and managing digital materials such as webtoons and web novels. To that end, he emphasized the need for a UCI (Universal Content Identifier) registration system to assign unique identification numbers to digital content.
“Just like a resident registration number, the UCI ensures that the same digital resource can be found anywhere, anytime,” he said.
The library is also pushing forward with the establishment of the “National Archives Preservation Center” (tentative name) in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province. Although the project has been delayed, it remains essential to address the growing storage saturation — which reached 94.5 percent last year and is projected to exceed 100 percent by 2027.
The 2025 government budget proposal includes 2.8 billion won for the project, including 1.6 billion won for design costs. The facility is expected to open as early as 2028.
“The new preservation center will serve as a national knowledge data hub for the long-term protection of digital resources,” Kim said. “We are committed to making it a reality.”
Kim concluded, “Libraries are more than places to read books — they help people understand and utilize information, opening new paths for imagination. We will continue to be a guiding light of knowledge for the future.”
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