A government office in charge of overseas promotion of Korean culture on Thursday released a book of interviews with foreigners who have special bonds with the country and renowned Korean artists working abroad.

"Beautiful Bonds" by the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS), under the control of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, contains in-depth interviews with 35 people that were posted on Korea.net, the government's foreign language portal for national promotion, over the past two years. The 35 people include a French cartoonist who draws cartoons set in Seoul, a German woman dreaming of becoming a Korean pop singer and a Korean director of an animated TV series broadcast in 54 countries around the world. Among the Korean interviewees were violinist Chung Kyung-wha, conductor Lim Hun-joung and soprano Sumi Jo.

The book consists of three parts: Culture & arts, Human story and Koreaphiles. As the book contains both the original English-language articles and Korean translations, it is rather lengthy at 620 pages.

The KOCIS said it plans to use the book to increase the world's awareness of Korea, distributing the copies for free to some 170 overseas Korean missions, cultural centers and King Sejong Institutes, which offer Korean language courses.

"I hope this book will help the world's people become more familiar with Korean culture through the stories of those with beautiful bonds with Korea," Park Young-goog, head of the KOCIS, was quoted as saying in a press release.

* Article from Yonhap News