The Republic of Korea is among countries heavily promoting the IAEA′s 50th Anniversary and an associated Children′s Painting Contest. Anniversary events are planned in July, including a special event that focuses on the past half century and future directions of cooperation in fields of nuclear technology.

The 50th Anniversary event is being held in Seoul on 12 July, organized by Korea′s Ministry of Science and Technology to commemorate a half century of nuclear cooperation between the IAEA and Republic of Korea. It is being held in conjuntion with the World Nuclear University Summer Institute and the country′s National Nuclear Symposium. IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei is scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at this commemorative event.

As part of events, Korean children from 8 to 14 are being encourged to enter the IAEA′s Childrens′ Painting Competition. A poster in Korean is being circulated by the Korea Nuclear International Cooperation Foundation. The theme of the competition is Energy in Our World. The three winning entries will be published in the IAEA Bulletin magazine, on the IAEA.org website, and as posters. In addition, the prize winners will receive an award certificate signed by IAEA Director General and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Mohamed ElBaradei. The closing date for the competition is Tuesday, 31 July 2007.

Two meetings on IAEA Technical Cooperation projects in Korea also are being held in Korea next month. One, from 9 to 13 July, is on hospital radiopharmacy practices and the challenges of nuclear oncology, and the other is a regional seminar from 10 to 13 July on considerations for a nuclear power programme.