The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) announced Sunday that the ministry would conduct marathon interviews with 400 top global logistics firms over the next four months to brief the firms on the ministry's development projects for the two ports.

Busan, the nation's largest port city, lies at the southeastern end of the Korean peninsula, while Gwangyang is in South Jeolla Province.

The ministry said that its minister, Huh Sung-kwan, would give the interviews directly.

The industrial complexes are to be built next to the docks between 2007 and 2011. The ministry aims at attracting global firms, including Wal-Mart, Reebok, and UPS. The ministry noted that the first interview has already been held in Shanghai with logistic firms in operation in the Chinese port.

An official at the ministry said that the strategies for the marketing ports' development are being worked out by Arthur D. Little, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based global management consulting firm, which is expected to come up with definitive strategies by the end of October. (Lee Gil-seong, atticus@chosun.com )