The government and the domestic tourism sector have launched a joint council to promote high value-added tourism products, such as international conferences and exhibitions.

The Culture Ministry and the Korea Tourism Organization on Friday formed a consultative body with some 50 organizations and companies from the tourism industry, launching active marketing to cultivate overseas markets.

The nation hosted some 600 international conferences last year, ranking 12th in the world and third in Asia after Singapore and Japan.

However, the industry accounts for less than half a percent of the nation's gross domestic product, significantly lower than the one to two percent in the U.S. and Canada.