Brief Line

Officials from the organizing committee for the 2013 Osong Cosmetics and Beauty Expo and faculty members of CheongJu Foreign Language High School pose after signing a memorandum of understanding Thursday for the school’s students to volunteer for the expo.

Students help Osong fair

High school students will work as volunteer interpreters at the 2013 Osong Cosmetics & Beauty Expo, slated for May 3-26, in North Chungcheong Province.

The organizing committee for the Osong fair announced on Thursday it sealed an agreement with CheongJu Foreign Language High School to enlist the services of 93 students as volunteer interpreters.

The students will be dispatched in and around the venue during the international fair and provide language services for 10 days.

“We have been encouraged by the participation of those students. Their interpretation service will help visiting foreigners and facilitate the Expo, while students themselves will have opportunities to nurture their global-minded talents,” said Ko Se-ung, secretary general of the fair.

Among the students, 44 will provide English interpretation services, while 32 will be for Japanese and 17 for Chinese.

The organizing committee expects the cosmetics fair to attract much attention at home and abroad because it will likely ride on the ever growing popularity of hallyu (the Korean wave).

jinhai@koreatimes.co.kr

Seoul Mayor to spread hallyu

Park Won-soon Seoul Mayor

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon will make a three-day visit to China from April 21 to help spread hallyu (Korean wave) there as well as promoting investment, Seoul officials said Friday.

Park’s visit is timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the setup of sister relations between Seoul and Beijing.

“The mayor decided to press for the China visit to help solidify mutual trust despite the lingering unstable security situation on the Korean Peninsula and the possible spreading of avian influenza in China,” an official said.

The visit will likely help boost cultural and economic ties between the two cities, said the official.

Park will meet with Beijing Mayor Wang Anshun April 21 to sign an agreement for the promotion of cooperation and exchanges between the two cities.

Musician Chung Myung-hoon and his Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will perform for some 1,800 Chinese audience in Beijing.

A B-boy band will stage a performance in the “Live Tank” near the 798 Art Zone of Beijing alongside a display of photos of Seoul.

Park will also embark on “sales” by hosting investment meetings with Chinese business people during the second day of his visit.

The main agendas will cover the envisioned construction of hotels and convention centers in Seoul. Park will also focus on attracting Chinese investment in the areas of bio and IT industries.

jayshim@koreatimes.co.kr