The Korea Herald

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[Graphic News] Book purchases hit record low last year: data

By Korea Herald

Published : March 7, 2017 - 18:19

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South Koreans’ purchases of printed books hit a record low in 2016, official data showed Saturday, in another sign they are reading fewer books due to factors such as falling income, the growing use of mobile devices to read and more time spent on social media.

Households with two or more members spent an average of 15,335 won ($13.25) per month on printed books in 2016, according to Statistics Korea. It represents a 7.7 percent drop from 16,623 won in 2015.

A survey by the Culture Ministry showed that the average price of a new book was 18,108 won last year. This means that some households here did not even buy one book a month.