First lady Kim attends opening ceremony of S. Korean-sponsored library in Durban

DURBAN, South Africa, July 5 (Yonhap) -- First lady Kim Yoon-ok attended a ceremony to open a South Korean-sponsored library at an elementary school in South Africa on Tuesday, saying she hopes the facility will offer greater education opportunities in the African nation.
The "Thank You Small Library" at Mbaliyethu Primary School in Durban is one of 92 such facilities set up in Africa and Asia with funds from South Korea's government and companies under a joint project with the U.N. World Tourism Organization's Sustainable Tourism for Eliminating Poverty.
The project calls for turning existing school buildings into libraries equipped with books, computers and other educational materials.
Kim is visiting this South African port city along with President Lee Myung-bak to campaign in South Korea's third attempt to bring the Winter Olympics to its alpine city of Pyeongchang.
PyeongChang is competing against Munich of Germany and Annecy of France for the right to host the 2018 Winter Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) plans to pick the winning city by secret ballot during an assembly on Wednesday.
During the opening ceremony for the library, the first lady said South Koreans' zeal for education played a great role in the country's economic development, and she hoped that the library will help expand education opportunities for South African children so that they will help further develop their country's economy, the presidential office said in a statement.
Four more such libraries will be set up in South Africa, the office said.
jschang@yna.co.kr