Erbil... After Renovation of its Entrance and Building, Zaitun Library Reopens
This afternoon, Monday, November 17, 2025, with the presence of Omed Khoshnaw, Governor of Erbil; Lee Joon-il, Ambassador of South Korea to Iraq; Seungcheol Lim, Consul General of the Republic of South Korea in Erbil; Aryan Salahuddin, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture; Daban Shadala, Deputy Head of the Kurdistan Regional Government's Department of Foreign Relations; Masoud Karash, Deputy Governor; and a number of other writers, intellectuals, and book lovers, a ceremony was held to reopen the Zaitun Library after the renovation of its entrance and building, which was carried out by the international KOICA agency affiliated with South Korea.
At the ceremony, the Governor of Erbil, in a speech, congratulated the director, staff, and readers of books in Erbil. He thanked the international KOICA agency and the Embassy and Consulate General of the Republic of South Korea in Erbil for undertaking the renovation of the library as a cultural and intellectual center and a knowledge hub for the city of Erbil.
He also highlighted the relationship and friendship between the Kurdistan Region and South Korea, stating that the Kurdistan Region's relationship with Korea is a great one, whose foundation dates back 21 years to after the process of Iraq's liberation and the fall of the regime and governance system in Iraq, with relations commencing in 2004.
He added that, in terms of time, that period was not very long, but in terms of advancing relations and benefiting from Korea's experience, the Kurdistan Region has gained the greatest and best benefits from Korea.
He also stated that at a time when Iraq's security was unstable, the allied forces participated in the process of liberating Iraq. The South Korean forces in the Kurdistan Region chose the name "We Are Your Friends," which held great meaning for us as a government and as the people of Kurdistan, and we continue to view it as important to this day.
In 2008, the construction of this library in Sami Abdul Rahman Park was a gift from Korea to Erbil and the Kurdistan Region. Now, after many years, fortunately, the management and staff of the library are preserving it in the best possible way, and a large number of citizens, students, and people visit this place daily. They provide the highest cooperation for cultural, historical, and intellectual works, monitor that civil assistance, and produce the most benefit.
It is worth noting that the library was built on an area of 4,000 square meters and is located within Sami Abdul Rahman Park in Erbil. It consists of two floors, with the second floor comprising six halls and two other rooms dedicated to classifying books and reading areas. It was built by the South Korean military team Zaytun from 2005 to 2008 and was renovated again in 2022 through Erbil Governorate. It contains more than 300,000 various books in Kurdish and foreign languages, as well as newspapers and magazines.
