Pop singer Kim Jang-hoon and Korean publicist Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University, put up a billboard advertising Korea tourism at Times Square in New York City on Tuesday.

The poster, titled “Visit Korea,” contains a number of phrases highlighting Korea’s attractions: “9,000 miles of unspoiled coastline”; “3,000 islands of rare beauty”; and “Discover the unexpected charm of Korea.” The large picture shows an international yachting race held around Dokdo, the two easternmost Korean islands.

The 15-meter-square advert will remain there for a month, including over New Year’s Eve when the square is most visited and also most watched on television worldwide.

Planned by Seo and sponsored by Kim, the advertisement was erected to celebrate the record number of foreign tourists who have visited Korea so far this year. Korea saw the figure surpass 10 million for the first time.

It is also intended to publicize the East Sea and Dokdo. The East Sea is the Korean name of the sea east of the Korean peninsula, while Japan calls it the Sea of Japan. Dokdo, currently under the effective control of the Korean government, is claimed by Japan.

“I thought it would be more important to advertise Dokdo naturally through a photo of a yachting race held near them rather than just to insist that the islands belong to Korea,” Seo told reporters.

Kim, who sponsored the advertising, told reporters that he would continue to sponsor advertising regarding Dokdo and comfort women.

Seo and Kim plan to install an exclusive billboard at the square in the first half of next year.

By Chun Sung-woo (swchun@heraldcorp.com)