On February 20, Yonsei University's Library Development Research Institute inaugurated the Library Data Research Center (LDRC) at Baekyangnuri. This initiative marks the beginning of a focused effort to innovate public knowledge infrastructure in response to the challenges and opportunities presented by the artificial intelligence (AI) era. The establishment of this center is part of a larger national strategy under the Ministry of Education's 'Global Humanities and Social Convergence Research Support Project', which aims to integrate AI and data technologies into libraries from a humanities and social science perspective. This project is set to receive funding of 10 billion won over the next five years, running from September 2025 to August 2030.

The LDRC aims to utilize a network of over 20,000 libraries across South Korea to consolidate and connect data, thereby enhancing public services and policy design. The center's vision extends beyond merely incorporating technology; it seeks to establish a human-centered growth paradigm that connects policy, practice, and academia. The research initiative will be operated in a collaborative framework involving Yonsei University's Institute, the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology’s (UNIST) Industrial Intelligence Research Institute, and the Konkuk University’s New Media Art Research Institute, with international collaboration from Simmons University’s Information Literacy Center and George Mason University’s Community Informatics Lab.

During the launch, Yonsei University President Yoon Dong-seob remarked that the LDRC stands as a national data infrastructure integrating and linking library data, which he hopes will serve as a model for human-centered AI convergence research. Jaegyeon Cha, the commissioner of the National Education Commission, emphasized the importance of establishing intelligent networking of library data as a scientific foundation for educational policy. Additionally, the director of the National Assembly Library stressed the need to expand libraries' public roles in the AI transition era, highlighting that simply accumulating information is not sufficient, and there is a necessity for reliable knowledge and public platforms.