This year's first meeting of the Group of 20 world countries will open next month in Korea's Songdo near Incheon City.

As the new G20 host nation, Korea also took over the G20 Web site (www.g20.org) from the UK as of January first and will run the home page through the end of the year.

The Finance Ministry says the government will host a G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bank chiefs at Songdo on February 26th and 27th.

Eight G20 conferences are scheduled this year, two vice finance ministers' meetings, four finance ministers' meetings and two G20 summits. The Songdo meet is the first of the eight.

Deputy Finance Minister Shin Je-yoon will chair the first meeting which will discuss agenda items for the other meetings of the year including the summits.