Seoul, Jan. 29 -- On the second day of the New Year, the National Library of Korea in southern Seoul had its usual visitor profile: senior male citizens forming a predominant majority.

A 75-year-old surnamed Lee is among the regulars. He said he comes to the library every morning, has lunch for 5,000 won ($3.45), and stays until 4:30 or 5 p.m.

"There's nowhere to go once you're over 70. It might be the same for you someday," he said in a hushed voice in the hallway of the four-floor reading room. "I just come here to relax."

Before retiring over a decade ago, he was a civil engineer in the public sector. At the library, he continues to study his former field. "Well, it's what I did my whole life. I need to stay updated on recent develo...