Song Joong-ki to promote Korean food overseas

President Park Geun-hye and actor Song Joong-ki laugh while tasting Korean food during the opening ceremony for K-Style Hub, a Korean food-themed promotion center, in central Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap

President Park Geun-hye, along with actor Song Joong-ki, attended an opening ceremony, Monday, for a new Korean food-themed center in Seoul intended play a pivotal role in globalizing traditional Korean food.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism established the K-Style Hub inside the Culture Creation Venture Complex to showcase the culinary culture of Korea to foreign visitors.

"I hope that the K-Style Hub will play a key role in promoting the globalization of the nation's culinary culture internationally and food tourism here," Park said after touring the center.

Song also joined the ceremony.

The actor, whose military romance "Descendant of the Sun" aired on KBS, is gaining popularity in China and other countries as well. He was selected as an honorary ambassador and promotional model for Korean tourism on April 1.

"Despite his hectic schedule on the back of the drama's popularity, Song has accepted the ambassador role when the nation is pushing to promote tourism and culture," Park said. "I think Song is a real young patriot."

She also said that the drama is an exemplary case of the creative economy and cultural enhancement that shows the effects of the shared growth of the content industry and manufacturing sector.

The Park administration regards the culture industry as a future growth engine due to the growing popularity of the nation's pop culture exports.

The visit to the K-Style Hub was her second official scheduled event since her return from an eight-day trip to the United States and Mexico on Wednesday. She also visited the Centers for Creative Economy and Innovation in North Chungcheong and North Jeolla provinces on Friday.

(YONHAP)