The Prefectures of Northern Tohoku and Hokkaido, Seoul Office was jointly opened in Seocho City in Seoul by Hokkaido and Aomori, Iwate and Akita prefectures on November 19, 2002, to attract tourists from South Korea, expand commodity market outlets, promote cultural exchanges and more. The office is located in the Marine Transport Center Building, situated halfway between Myondong, the liveliest downtown area in Seocho City, Seoul, and the South Gate, which is crowded with many markets. The Seoul Metropolitan Government Office and the Japan National Tourist Organization are within walking distance, and Lotte, Shinsegae and other large department stores are also very close. Currently, a total of four staff members --- the General Manager and three local employees --- are collecting and providing a wide variety of economic and tourist information to serve as an interface within South Korea for Hokkaido and Aomori, Iwate and Akita prefectures. With a population of approximately 46 million, South Korea has recently achieved high economic growth. Furthermore, bilateral exchanges have gained momentum thanks to the FIFA World Cup, which was co-hosted by Japan and South Korea in 2002. Economic exchanges with Hokkaido and other prefectures are therefore expected to rapidly expand in the future. In addition, Hokkaido and the three northern Tohoku prefectures, with their cool climates in summer and excellent skiing in winter, have gained increasing popularity in South Korea; thus a further increase in the number of tourists from South Korea is also expected. The Prefectures of Northern Tohoku and Hokkaido, Seoul Office is committed to collecting and providing useful information in South Korea. Please feel free to contact the Commerce and Economic Exchange Division for inquiries or requests.