By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

Actor Lee Jun-ki will now promote Korea tourism, after being named an ambassador by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) Wednesday.

The hallyu star from the films ''The King and the Clown,'' ''Hotel Venus'' and dramas ''Time Between Wolf and Dog'' and ''Iljimae,'' has gained popularity both here and abroad.

''I enjoyed working as an honorary ambassador of hallyu last year. I'm proud of being appointed as tourism ambassador this time, and will try my best to promote Korea,'' Lee said in the appointment ceremony held at the KTO headquarters in Seoul.

Some 20 journalists from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong covered the ceremony where about 200 foreign fans also attended.

In his fan meeting held in Korea last April, 2,500 Asian fans, including 180 from China, came to see him. Some 10,000 Chinese and 9,000 Japanese fans also attended fan-meeting concerts in Suzhou and Yokohama in May and July, respectively. He recently released his second EP, ''J-Style.''

The KTO has appointed 45 celebrities as tourism ambassadors so far. For the first six months of this year, Korea attracted 3.79 million visitors, up 15.3 percent from the same period last year.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr