Japan, S.Korea mark year of exchange
Officials from Japan and South Korea are gathered in Seoul to boost bilateral tourism. The 2 countries have designated 2008 as the year of tourism exchange.
About 300 people, including officials from Japan's Transport and Tourism Ministry and South Korea's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, attended a ceremony in Seoul on Monday.
Japan's Ambassador to Seoul, Toshinori Shigeie emphasized the significance of enhancing bilateral cultural exchanges.
He said it would contribute to the development of bilateral friendship, deepen mutual understanding, boost each other's economy, and enhance the value of their cultural resources.
A poster featuring Japanese actress Yoshino Kimura and South Korean actor Ryu Siwon, who are tourism ambassadors for their country, was unveiled, followed by a ceremony opening a barrel of sake.
In 1947, the year Japan and South Korea normalized relations, just 10,000 people traveled between the 2 countries. Last year, more than 4.8 million people have traveled as Korean culture has gained popularity.
Various events and plans are in the works to promote youth and city exchanges as agreed in recent Japan-South Korea summit talks.
2008/04/29 05:15
NHK WORLD English