Plan Announced for Closer Cooperation With ASEAN

Ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit 2009 early next month, Jeju Island is in a festive mood as an "advanced team" for the summit headed for Korea’s southernmost island Wednesday.

The team`s 84 members included officials from the Korean ministries of foreign affairs and culture and those from eight ASEAN member nations including the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand. They visited the International Convention Center Jeju, Jeju International Airport, and quarters for delegations.

Jeju will hold a variety of events before the summit to create a welcoming mood. The Korean Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and Jeju Peace Institute will hold an ASEAN Forum in Jungmun Tourism Complex through today on promoting relations between Korea and ASEAN.

After a briefing on the preparation of the summit Wednesday, Jeju will create "Flower Land" at the convention center and send up three ad balloons nearby Pyeonghwa Road. Two days before the summit, the opening ceremony of the Jeju International Culture & Tourism Expo will be held at Seogwipo World Cup Stadium May 29.

The original opera "Baeknokdam" will be staged at the main hall of Jeju Art Center the same day.

The summit is also a chance for Jeju to invest 28.5 billion won (22.6 million U.S. dollars) of the central government’s budget and 3.3 billion won (2.6 million dollars) of the province’s into the project to improve Jeju`s tourism infrastructure and economy.

The Jeju Free International City project could also get global recognition if discussed at the summit.

jy788@donga.com