132 Seats Facing the East Sea: Gangdong Sea Library’s 4th-Floor Rooftop

Ulsan Buk-gu’s ninth public library, opened in the Gangdong coastal living area on September 1, 2023

Gangdong Sea Library officially opened on September 1, 2023, at 62 Sanhajungang 3-ro, Buk-gu, Ulsan Metropolitan City. From August 16 to 31, 2023, before its official opening, it operated temporarily as a pilot facility, and at the time it was the newest library to open among Buk-gu’s public libraries.

This library combines public reading and lending spaces with after-school care services for the community facing the Gangdong Sea. The first floor contains the Together Care Center Branch 9 and a multipurpose room, the second floor has the Children’s Materials Room, and the third floor has the General Materials Room and a multimedia corner. There is also a rooftop rest area.

Open Tuesday–Friday from 09:00 to 20:00; closed on Mondays and public holidays

Operating hours are 09:00–20:00 from Tuesday through Friday and 09:00–18:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. Regular closing days are every Monday and public holidays, so if you plan a Gangdong coastal itinerary on a Monday, note first that indoor reading, restroom access, and material lending will not be available.

Admission is free, and the main telephone number is 052-241-7480. The official website is https://usbl.bukgu.ulsan.kr/, where you can check program registration, collection searches, and membership information through the Buk-gu public library website. Library use itself is free, but membership registration is required to borrow materials.

• Tuesday–Friday: 09:00–20:00
• Saturday–Sunday: 09:00–18:00
• Closed: Every Monday and public holidays
• Admission: Free
• Inquiries: 052-241-7480

How to borrow up to five books for 15 days and use the 24-hour reservation locker

Books may be borrowed at a limit of five per person for 15 days, including the borrowing date. No identification is required for on-site reading only, but to register as a borrowing member, you must join the website and visit the library with the relevant documents.

Adults need an identification card. Those aged 14 or older need the applicable document among a youth ID, resident registration card, or resident registration certificate. Elementary school students and infants need a legal guardian’s identification card and a resident registration certificate. Employees and students at colleges or higher education institutions located in Ulsan must present identification and proof of employment or enrollment in Ulsan. Foreign residents must present their alien registration card. Only documents issued within the previous six months are accepted.

A book return box and reservation locker are located at the first-floor entrance, and the reservation locker is described as operating 24 hours a day. Therefore, if it is difficult to remain indoors before closing time, it is safer to reserve the material on the website and reconfirm by telephone whether pickup is available.

Children’s Materials Room on the second floor, General Materials Room on the third floor, and 132 seats with distinct functions

The building is described as having one basement level and three above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 980.01 m² and 132 reading seats. The Children’s Materials Room on the second floor has separate infant and toddler materials and nursing rooms. The children’s area has mats on the floor, making it suitable for staying with children.

As of June 30, 2024, the collection was introduced as approximately 15,000 children’s books and 9,000 adult books. The children’s collection consisted of 8,422 literary works, 1,596 social science books, 1,544 natural science books, 1,265 language books, and 1,073 history books, among others. For family visits, an efficient route is to choose children’s materials on the second floor and continue adult reading in the General Materials Room on the third floor.

The third floor has the General Materials Room and a multimedia corner, and visitor reviews report that the window-side reading seats offer views toward the Gangdong Sea while reading. However, the availability of laptop workstations or specific window-side seats may vary by time of day, so if you plan to stay for a long time, arriving early on a weekday is advisable.

Basement parking with five regular spaces, one accessible space, and one expectant-mother space, plus Gangdong Jungang Park alternatives

The basement parking lot is described as accommodating five regular vehicles, one vehicle for people with disabilities, and one vehicle for expectant mothers, so overall parking capacity is limited. If you visit by car, parking availability may determine the actual length of your stay more than the weekend operating hours of 09:00–18:00.

When the parking lot is full, alternatives mentioned include the public parking lot at Gangdong Jungang Park, side roads beside the Gangdong 119 Safety Center, and side roads in front of the Gangdong Police Substation. The Gangdong 119 Safety Center is at Sanhajungang 2-ro 231, and the Gangdong Police Substation is at Gangdong Sanha 3-ro 37, which may be useful if you need to change your navigation destination. When parking on side roads, check on-site signs and enforcement zones first.

Bus routes and walking times from each stop could not be confirmed in the library’s official information. Public transportation users should designate “Gangdong Sea Library” or “62 Sanhajungang 3-ro” as the destination in the Ulsan bus information app or a map service before departure, then check the day’s service schedule and alighting stop.

Fourth-floor rooftop rest area and Gangdong Jungang Park: a 60–90-minute seaside route

The rooftop rest area is introduced as a fourth-floor rooftop with an outdoor space and benches. Buk-gu has also proposed holding a performance combining books and music at the rooftop rest area in October, so if an event is announced for your visit date, the rooftop route or noise level may differ.

Gangdong Jungang Park is directly in front of the library, making it possible to read indoors and then move to the park. For a short visit, allow 40–60 minutes in either the Children’s Materials Room on the second floor or the General Materials Room on the third floor; including the rooftop rest area and park, 60–90 minutes is appropriate.

If your goal is a sea view, visit during daylight hours between 09:00 and 18:00 on weekends or between 09:00 and 20:00 on weekdays. The General Materials Room can still be used until 20:00 on weekdays after sunset, but the rooftop rest area’s opening status and weather conditions should be checked separately.

Important points for visitors who need child care, a nursing room, or accessible parking

The Together Care Center Branch 9 on the first floor is an after-school care facility for elementary school children installed at the Gangdong Sea Library address. It is introduced as operating from 11:00 to 20:00 during the school term and from 09:00 to 18:00 during school breaks, but this is separate from the library’s reading hours. If you want to use the care service, first call 052-282-7775 to confirm eligibility and capacity.

Visitors with infants can make use of the infant and toddler materials room, nursing room, diaper-changing table, and microwave introduced on the second floor. Regarding wheelchair or stroller access, one accessible parking space has been confirmed, but the detailed specifications of the elevator, ramps, and accessible restroom, as well as the availability of foreign-language guidance, could not be confirmed in official materials. For accuracy, contact 052-241-7480 before visiting.

Visitor reviews repeatedly mention that the basement parking area is small. Conversely, the infant and toddler area and nursing room in the Children’s Materials Room, the third-floor window-side reading area, and the rooftop rest area are introduced as useful features for dividing routes between family visitors and those seeking quiet reading.