Magok Open Library inside integrated district office complex to officially open Saturday

VR experience zone, club rooms and children's furniture among the amenities

A full-wall bookshelf inside the Magok Open Library. [Provided by Gangseo-gu]
A full-wall bookshelf inside the Magok Open Library. [Provided by Gangseo-gu]

Seoul's Gangseo-gu district office announced Thursday that it held an opening ceremony for the Gangseo-gu Magok Open Library on Saturday afternoon, marking the start of full operations.

The Magok Open Library was established as part of an "open district office" initiative — designed to welcome any resident at any time — timed to coincide with the opening of Gangseo-gu's new integrated district office complex.

The library spans 2,010 square meters across one below-ground and one above-ground floor. Drawing on its proximity to the Magok research and development complex, it will operate as an AI-focused library. In addition to reading spaces, the facility includes program rooms and club rooms for community interaction, along with a range of other cultural spaces.

The lead-up to the opening also saw a gesture of community generosity. Annyeong ENT Clinic, located near the integrated complex, donated 45 pieces of furniture — including lounge chairs, children's chairs and sofa tables — worth 30 million won ($22,400) to help create a comfortable reading environment for residents.

The opening ceremony featured a progress report on the library's construction, a donation handover ceremony, a lucky-draw raffle and a sensory classical music performance.

The district office had earlier ushered in the Magok integrated complex era on Nov. 4. The complex was completed and the district office relocated six years and two months after the basic construction plan was finalized in August 2020. The integrated complex sits on a 20,244-square-meter site with a total floor area of 59,147 square meters and comprises four buildings: the main district office, a public health center, the district council and an annex.

Gangseo-gu District Mayor Jin Kyo-hoon said the Magok Open Library would be "more than just a place to read — it will become a premier cultural retreat where residents can communicate freely and relax with books." Jin added that he hoped many people would visit, saying the library had opened thanks to residents' participation and the warmth of the local community.


ikson@heraldcorp.com