Korea, China agree to expand tourism exchanges

By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, Nov. 19 (Yonhap) -- Tourism ministers from South Korea and China agreed to
reopen a tourism promotion council between the two countries to expand exchanges
during a meeting this week in China, Seoul's culture ministry said Thursday.
South Korean Culture Minister Yu In-chon and his Chinese counterpart Shao Qiwei
met in China's southwestern city of Kunming on Wednesday to discuss exchanges for
the upcoming Shanghai 2010 World Expo and the Yeosu 2012 World Expo, the ministry
said in a press release.
The ministerial meeting is one of several August summit agreements between South
Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Chinese President Hu Jintao to actively share
information and encourage travel between the two nations.
The two ministers also agreed to set up an independent committee dealing with
school trips, simplifying entry requirements for travelers, exchanging tourism
delegations between the two countries and reopening the Korea-China tourism
promotion council, which was disbanded in 2002.
Shanghai and Yeosu, about 455 kilometers south of Seoul, signed a four-year
agreement to cooperate and share Expo information in August last year.
Under the plan, the two cities will assist each other in expo-related promotional
activities and dispatch groups of experts to exchange views on preparatory work.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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