By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter


Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-moon, right, who also heads the Preparatory Office for APEC 2005, shakes hands with Korea Times President-Publisher Park Moo-jong at the ministry in Seoul, Wednesday, after signing a contract to publish an official English-language newsletter for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Pusan in November. Korea Times

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and The Korea Times agreed on Wednesday to cooperate on publishing an official English-language newsletter for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Pusan this November.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-moon and Korea Times President-Publisher Park Moo-jong signed a contract to work together for the successful hosting of the international event at the ministry’s headquarters in Seoul.

Under the agreement, The Korea Times will provide special coverage of the APEC summit daily from Nov. 12-20 and publish an additional eight-page tabloid newsletter each day from Nov. 15-20. The newsletter will be read by foreign delegations to the forum, journalists and other people related to the event including volunteers.

It will be the first time for a news outlet to publish an official paper for the annual APEC meeting since its launch in 1989.

During the signing ceremony, Minister Ban stressed the importance of the APEC forum and the role of The Korea Times as the nation’s ``window’’ to the world, asking for its full support to make the summit a success.

Park also emphasized the significance of South Korea hosting the international forum. He pledged that The Korea Times would give accurate, rapid and objective coverage so that its publication of the official paper would set a precedent for future APEC summits.

Park expressed hope that the official APEC paper will help international heads of state and other participants in the APEC forum to better understand South Korea and its people, as well as improve the country’s global image.

South Korea’s oldest English-language daily established in 1950 during the Korean War, The Korea Times has published the official newspapers for the 1986 Asian Games in Pusan, 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul and 1999 Winter Asian Games in Kangwon Province. It also issued the official papers for the Taegu Universiad Games in 2003 and the 8th and 9th Pusan International Film Festival in 2003 and 2004.

The premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region, APEC has become the main organization for promoting economic growth and prosperity in the region, and strengthening mutual ties among member economies.

A variety of conferences such as senior officials’ meetings, trade ministers’ meetings and youth festivals, have been and will be held in several cities around South Korea in the lead-up to the CEO Summit in Pusan from Nov. 17-19.

In the meantime, the ministry also signed an agreement with Yonhap News Agency under which it will be the host news agency of the 2005 APEC forum. And the state-run Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) has been selected as the host broadcaster for the forum.

jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr