South Korea's largest annual book fair, set to open in Seoul next week, will feature a diverse experience-based program for readers, its organizers said Friday.
  

Some 200 publishers, including 48 from 16 countries, plan to participate in the Seoul International Book Fair 2015 set to kick off Wednesday for a five-day run at the Convention and Exhibition Center in Seoul, according to the Korean Publishers' Association and the SIBF committee.
  

Under the theme of "Publication reads 70 years of liberation and writes 100 years to come," a variety of special exhibitions and seminars on pending issues in the publishing industry are to take place, they added. 
  

"We are trying to turn the fair into a venue that gives readers more chances to get together with publishers and authors and enjoy diverse cultural experiences," association chief Ko Yeong-soo said. "The festival-like book fair is expected to get people to feel more comfortable with reading."
  

For this year's event, Italy has been preparing for special programs as the "guest of honor" country.
  

"A variety of contents will be on display to show Italy's publishing industry, construction and films, among others," Italian Ambassador to South Korea Marco della Seta was quoted by the organizers as saying. "This will be a good chance to promote our culture here." (Yonhap)