By Kim Ki-tae
Staff Reporter

Around 15 Korean cultural promotion centers will be built in Asia, Latin America and East Europe in an effort to promote the ``Korean wave,’’ or the rising popularity of the nation’s pop culture abroad.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Chung Dong-chea announced Wednesday that the government will invest around 100 billion won to set up the promotion venues, called Korea Plazas, by 2010.

The announcement came during Chung’s report titled ``C-Korea 2010’’ to President Roh Moo-hyun at Yongpyong Resort in PyeongChang, Kangwon Province. The report, revolving around the so-called three ``C’’s of ``Content,’’ ``Creativity’’ and ``Culture,’’ was an outline of the government’s plan to build up the nation’s culture, sports and leisure industry.

The cultural centers are expected to exhibit and sell products of Korean pop cultures. The ministry plans to establish the promotional buildings in continents where Korean pop cultures are or will likely be popular in the future.

Concerning the nature of the venues, a ministry official said the ministry would own and run them. ``They will likely be under direct management by the ministry,’’ he said.

During the report, the ministry also announced that it will invite around 10,000 cultural dignitaries from around 10 Asian nations in the next 10 years as part of a cultural exchange program. ``It is to boost partnership with other Asian nations,’’ another official of the ministry said.

In an attempt to boost tourism, the ministry will provide tax benefits to hotels around tourist attractions to encourage the building of the lodging accommodations. The number of hotel rooms in tourist areas is expected to rise from the current 62,000 to 100,000 in 2010. It also plans to boost financial subsidy to the building of hotels in Korean traditional styles.

``The ministry will nurture the industries of tourism, leisure and sports as the next-generation economic growth engine will lead the nation’s advance to the $30,000-per-capita-GDP era,’’ Chung said during the report.

kkt@koreatimes.co.kr