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'Korean Wave' to Be Promoted in New Regions

SEOUL (Yonhap) - South Korea is eyeing to further promote popularity of South Korean pop culture known as "hallyu (Korean wave)" in Asian nations and India.

As part of its efforts, South Korea's broadcast regulator plans to send a delegation to promote South Korean TV programs in India, Indonesia and Thailand from May 26-June 2.

The delegation, organized by the Korean Broadcasting Commission and expected to include South Korean pop stars, is aimed at spreading the Korean wave to "latecomers" in the region.

"We have decided to hold the event to improve the imbalance in some countries and dramas", Kim Yang-ha, a spokesman of the Korean Broadcasting Commission, said.

The term Korean wave was coined by Chinese media in 2001 responding to a rise in popularity of South Korean pop culture products. The trend later spread to countries in Southeast Asia and has recently had a strong impact in Japan with the broadcasting of popular South Korean TV dramas like "Winter Sonata".

South Korean authorities last month announced support for the broadcast of 20 locally acclaimed TV programs or films in five Asian nations, including Vietnam and Indonesia, to provide further momentum for the Korean wave.

The Kyonggi provincial government also announced a separate plan to build a 2-trillion-won ($1.95 billion) entertainment hub, to be known as "HallyuWood", in Ilsan, a satellite city northwest of Seoul, by 2008.

HallyuWood is a compound word of hallyu and Hollywood.

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