News Briefs Cybercrime legislation and enforcement capacity building The APEC Telecommunications and Information Working Group (E-Security Task Group) held a conference entitled 'Cybercrime legislation and enforcement capacity building' over three days from June 22 to 24 at the Renaissance Seoul Hotel with the support of the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), Republic of Korea. Topics the conference agenda included promoting cybercrime legislation, capacity building and international cooperation, data availability, privacy and law enforcement, and developing technologies and new cyber-threats. Promoting the Internet as an advertisement medium The drive by the Internet Medium Council to promote the Internet as an advertising medium kicked off at a ceremony June 29 at the Grand Intercontinental Seoul. As of April 2004, Korean subscribers to the Internet numbered 30 million. The entire online ad market is forecast to grow at a rate of 47% for 4 consecutive years beginning 2006. The Council said that Internet has rapidly become established as form of mass media since 71.6% of the entire population now uses the Internet. Philippine Independence Day commemorated To commemorate the country's Independence Day on June 12, the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines held a celebratory function on June 8 at the Grand Hyatt Seoul. Philippine ambassador Aladin Villacorte who will depart Korea in late July invited the Seoul diplomatic corps to his final National Day function as well as many of his Korean friends including Mr. Kwon Soon-han, president of Korea Importers Association and a whole raft of foreign businesspersons. Asian ambassadors such as Singapore H.E. Calvin Eu Mun Hoo and Afghan H.E. Nabil Malek-Asghar were also in attendance. Czech Tourism Office to promote in earnest from next year The opening of the Czech Tourism Office in Seoul June 20 was accompanied by an official ceremony at the Lotte Hotel Seoul. A Seoul-based Czech Tourism official said that the Seoul Office will begin a program of promotional activities next year by leveraging the attention that events such as the Prague International Marathon, the Spring of Prague music festival plus Prague's 2020 Summer Olympic and FIFA World Cup ranking No. 2 is expected to facilitate the two countries' exchange. This year, the Seoul Office expects that 50,000 Korean tourists will visit the Czech Republic. CCCK Annual Canada Day The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Korea held the Chamber's Annual Canada Day Picnic on June 26 at the UN Compound, Itaewon, Seoul, adjacent to the Capital Hotel. Over 1,300 Canadians in Seoul as well as Korean friends gathered there to celebrate Canada Day including H.E. Canadian Amb. Marius R. Grinius to Korea as well as Ms. Joan Baron, chairman of the CCCK. Throughout the year, CCCK holds the Terry Fox Run, Canadian Thanksgiving Day, its Christmas Party, and a series of CCCK special seminar. Korea and the U.S. Wipes out Concerns about Alliance Minister Ban Ki-moon of MOFAT (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade) emphasized that the two Korea/U.S. summits had wiped out any concerns that might exist about their alliance by agreeing to develop a special and strong strategic relation in a speech at the Korea-America Friendship Association's Night held on June 16 at the Grand Hyatt Seoul. Throughout his speech, the Minister asserted that the bond between the two countries is becoming even more firm because of the recent summit meeting between the two Presidents. The Association awarded the Korea-America Friendship Award to five American soldiers. Korea-Australia-New Zealand Broadband Summit 2005 With the support of the MIC (Ministry of Information and Communications), Republic of Korea, the Korea-Australia-New Zealand Broadband Summit 2005 was held June 9 to 10 at the Shilla Seoul. Through a presentation, titled "KT BcN Field Trial & Deployment Strategy", KT assistant vice president Il-Sung Nam, explained that KT's BcN goal is the creation of new income through the addition of new services such as video telephony, premium Internet and TPS plus new network infrastructure on which to develop new business. The Conference focused on topics such as broadband networks and services, broadband applications, digital contents, application research and wrap-up.