BYJ and team launched to promote Korean food

May 4, 2009

Team launched to promote Korean food

Source: The Korea Herald
Home>News>National
May 4'09 - Monday

A pan-government committee to promote Korean food was launched yesterday as part of Korea's effort to enhance the country's cultural recognition around the world.

The team joined by 36 food experts including ministers, scholars, food company CEOs and business leaders held a launching ceremony at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Seoul.

Agriculture Minister Chang Tae-pyong, Culture Minister Yu In-chon and Yang Il-seon, Yonsei University professor for food and nutrition, will be co-heading the committee.

Top Korean star Bae Yong-joon, who also runs a Korean restaurant in Japan, as well as Huh Young-man, a celebrated comic strip artist of "Le Grand Chef" (Sikgaek), and Han Bok-ryeo, the president of the Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine, will also participate in the team.

The Lee Myung-bak administration adopted a long-term vision of globalizing Korean cuisine late last year, as it embraced the food industry as one of the country's new growth engines.

The team will gather every half year and review necessary laws and systems to support the promotion of Korean dishes abroad, and check the progress made by each organization, the Culture Ministry said.

Under the team will be two advisory departments, one on developing infrastructure and R&D, and the other on funds, consulting, public relations and exports.

Headquarters will each be set up at the Agriculture and Food Ministry and Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corporation to take care of the details of the government's plans.

First Lady Kim Yoon-ok, who is an honorary chairman of the "globalizing Korean food" project, attended the ceremony and said, "For the globalization of Korean food, the government and the private sector must gather forces. In that sense, the launch of this team is extremely significant."

Each participating ministry also released their plans for the promotion at the ceremony.

TheMinistry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, which spearheads the initiative, said it will first focus on promoting bibimbab (rice mixed in red chili paste and vegetables), tteokbokgi (broiled dish of sliced rice cake in seasoned chili sauce), kimchi and traditional liquor this year.

Last month, the ministry announced its goal to put Korean food within the world's top five cuisines by 2017, such as by expanding the number of overseas Korean restaurant brands to 40,000. Currently about 1,400 Korean restaurants exist in the United States, 1,700 in Japan, 2,500 in China and 170 in Europe.

By 2012, the committee also aims to raise the total of agricultural products and food exports to $10 billion from 2008's $4.4 billion, and to boost exports of food materials by $3.5 billion from this year's estimated $90 million.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism also released its plan to develop tourism packages related to Korean food, and promote the dishes through its overseas Korean cultural centers.

The Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry will be supporting the initiative through various major international events and embassies and legations abroad.

The Ministry of Knowledge Economy said it will support companies exporting Korean food items and allowing the use of Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency's logistics center as a center for Korean food and ingredients.

By Lee Joo-hee (angiely@heraldm.com)

BYJ --- Photos with the team

May 4, 2009

Kwon Ohkyeong posted this on the Talk Box of BYJ's official home.
Joanne in BYJ Quilt/ freeboard/freeboard ---- #15076-may 4'09

Inauguration of Promotional Group for Globalization of Korean Cuisine-Photo of BYJ in the Group

Yonhap News-Seoul 5/4/09 11:28

Mrs. Kim Yoonok, wife of President Lee Myeongbak, is watching a promotional video at a meeting for inauguration of Promotional Group for Globalization of Korean Cuisine, held in the morning on 4 at the Korean Chamber of Commerce.

From the second on the left side, Lee Cham, CEO of Cham Smart, BYJ, an actor, Roh Heeyoung, CEO at Hino Consulting.
Reported byjobo@yna.co.kr
Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency

Gaeulyeoja posted this as a reply to above article on the Talk Box of BYJ's official home

[PHOTO]'Globalization of Korean Cuisine', Mrs. Kim Yoonok..encouraged YJ-nim (more photos)

At 10 today (4th) at the Korean Chamber of Commerce..off the press appearance of YJ-nim..^^

First Lady Kim Yoon-ok (fourth from the left) and actor Bae Yong-joon (second from the right) watch Korean dishes on tables at a ceremony to launch a committee to promote Korean food abroad held at the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry in central Seoul.

Before the event began, Mrs. Kim had a pleasant chat with 'Hallyu star' BYJ, who was commissioned as a priviate citizen committee member, and greeted him by saying "Thank you (for participation)". Mrs. Kim encouraged (BYJ) saying, "When I went to London some time ago (she seemed to comment at the time of G20 London Finance Summit Meeting), wife of Japn's Prime Minister told that she had been to the restaurant owned by Mr. BYJ. She looked like she liked Mr. BYJ. I appreciated your hard work in many areas."

*This is only excerpt of a newpaper article..^^

News...About Piracy

May 4, 2009

Source: The Chosun Ilbo
english.chosun.con
Home>Column

Now Safeguarding Copyright Is in Korea's Interest Too

U.S. President Barack Obama created a sensation during his recent visit to London when he presented Queen Elizabeth with an iPod MP3 player. Everything was fine until people found out that the iPod contained around 40 songs, including "Don't Cry For Me Argentina." Some people were saying even if the songs had been purchased and paid for, only the person who bought them has the right to listen to them, but does not have the right to give them to another person if U.S. copyright laws are strictly applied. That could carry a penalty of up to US$6 million or $150,000 per song.

The U.S. created copyright protection laws in 1790, just 14 years after it was founded. The founding fathers included in the country's federal law the concept of protecting intellectual creations as an individual's property at about the same time they established the U.S. Constitution. The first U.S. official charged with leading the country’s patent office was Thomas Jefferson, who was secretary of state at the time and would later become the third president.

The U.S. is particularly protective of its copyright for more practical reasons than history alone. In 2007, Samsung Electronics' brand value was worth $12 billion. The brand value of Walt Disney's "Winnie the Pooh" alone was worth $17 billion. From the standpoint of a knowledge-intensive country like the U.S., copyright protection is a significant part of safeguarding the national interest. Each year since 1989, the U.S. announced a watchlist of intellectual priority rights violators. Depending on a country being classified as part of the "priority watchlist" or "watchlist," Washington levies retaliatory tariffs on imports from the country.

Last week, the U.S. Trade Representative removed Korea from the blacklist for the first time in 20 years. "Korea is being removed from the watchlist in recognition of the significant improvements it has made during the past year, and the Korean government's policy direction of continuing to place a priority on improving its IPR regime," the USTR said. Among 77 countries, 46 are on America's blacklist. China and Russia made it again on the priority watchlist.

Before it won its independence, even the U.S. pirated intellectual property from England, France and other European countries. And the U.S. demands on less developed countries to pay for using its copyrights is being criticized as an attempt to keep them from catching up. But we live in an age when underwear bearing the image of Bae Yong-joon is being illegally marketed in Japan, while fake Korean mobile phones are being sold across China. We are no longer just the perpetrators of copyright infringement but victims as well. To support our content industry, we need to reach a social agreement to pay for the use of the intellectual effort of others.

By Chosun Ilbo columnist Kim Tae-ick

englishnews@chosun.com / May 04, 2009 12:46 KST