Japan's Up Front Entertainment will hold open auditions in March to recruit a Korean member for their new girl band venture, ''Hello! Project.'' The agency, which produced top Japanese girl band Morning Musume, will partner with South Korea's Mnet Media for the local auditions.

According to Mnet Media, the announcement was made at ''Hello! Project 2009 Winter Concert,'' recently held at Yokohama Arena, Japan. Up Front chose a Taiwainese member for ''Hello! Project'' last May during their first overseas auditions and the newcomer was introduced to fans at the concert.

''Because this is such a big scale, global project, the open calls from March to April will be aired as an audition program,'' Mnet Media said.

The Korean winner will undergo training sessions that are typical of the Japanese entertainment business. Depending on her ability, she will debut as a solo artist or with a group in Japan.

Korea Times intern Hwang Sung-hee contributed to these articles.