Enjoy Taekwondo

To chip in with the government's efforts to improve the country's national brand value, the Culture Ministry says it will be doing its part by promoting Korean culture to the world.

First, the ministry plans to integrate the names of global institutes that provide information on the Korean language as the King Sejong Institute by next year. A head office for the institutes is scheduled to be built by 2011.

This is aimed at making it easier for non-Koreans to recognize the name and to gain improved access to language education. In line with this plan, the ministry says it will also establish an integrated Korean language education system called "u-King Sejong Institute." The system will offer online lectures and information on Korean in a number of foreign languages by the end of this year and support an international network of qualified teachers over the next three years.

Meanwhile, the ministry also plans to globalize Korea's national sport, taekwondo, through its "Enjoy Taekwondo" project. As part of this project, the ministry will back the development of taekwondo-related content such as video games and movies.

By 2011, a hall dedicated to year-round demonstrations of the martial art will be constructed and tour packages will be developed to attract more interest internationally. The ministry says it will send more taekwondo instructors overseas and develop an online manual.

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