Koreans increasingly shun book reading: poll

SEOUL, July 3 (Yonhap) -- Nearly three out of every 10 South Korean adults do not
read one single book the whole year, a government survey showed Friday,
indicating a growing number of people are choosing other interests such as Web
surfing and watching TV over reading.

Some 72 percent of adults read at least one book each year, according to the
culture ministry's survey of 1,000 men and women nationwide, a continuing
decrease from the 77 percent in 1996 and 76 percent in 2007.
The surveyed people read an average of 12 books a year and spent about 30 minutes
a day on reading, a sharp contrast to Europeans who read at least 25 books per
year according to recent polls, the culture ministry said.
Reading was the fourth most popular leisure activity among adults while watching
television topped the list followed by Web surfing and exercising, said the
ministry. South Korean adults favored novels followed by self-help books, it
noted.
In a separate survey of 3,000 elementary, junior high and high school students
nationwide, 89 percent answered they read at least one book each year. Students
read an average of 14 books each year with younger students spending more time on
reading compared to high schoolers.
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)