Cheong Wa Dae announced will hold a weekly briefing for foreign journalists at 3 p.m. Wednesdays, it said Wednesday. "Korea's status in the world has grown since Seoul hosted the G20 Summit, and the foreign media's interest has also grown," presidential spokeswoman Kim Hee-jung said. "We decided to run the briefings to strengthen communication channels with the foreign press and promote key policies of the Korean government effectively."

She said while there have been irregular briefings for the foreign press in the past, this will be the first regular fixture.

Presidential spokesman Sohn Jie-ae, a former CNN bureau chief in Seoul and president of the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club, will be in charge of the briefings.