Production of a large ‘law book’ compiling all major domestic laws will be halted after 67 years. Hyunamsa, the only domestic publisher of paper law books, announced on the 6th that it will no longer produce the large law book. Hyunamsa has faced difficulties in production due to insufficient demand for paper law books, among other reasons, this newspaper, September 10 edition, page A16. However, the company plans to continue publishing exam-oriented law books, such as the ‘Bar Exam Law Book.’
Hyunamsa published Korea’s first legal code, the ‘law book,’ in 1959. While other publishers had withdrawn early on, it continued to publish the law book annually. In 2005, the print run was 8,300 copies, but this year it dropped to 1,800 copies, a one-fifth reduction over 20 years. Although it had sustained itself through demand from public institutions, the demand has significantly decreased as the National Assembly and courts no longer purchase the law books. Legal professionals and law school students primarily use electronic legal codes.
In contrast, the workload and production costs increase every year. This is due to laws becoming more complex annually and the supply of paper (thin paper) being inconsistent. The original law book weighed 0.36 kg, but now each volume reaches 6 kg.
Jo Mi-hyun, Hyunamsa’s representative, said, “Although we have accepted the trend of the times, there is great regret among the employees,” and added, “However, as not all legal codes are disappearing, we will continue the legacy as a renowned publisher of law books.”
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