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AMMAN — Jordanian audiences will get a taste of Korea’s culture at the 12th edition of the Korean Film Festival, which is set to kick off on Sunday at the Rainbow Theatre.

Organised by the Korean embassy, in cooperation with the Royal Film Commission (RFC) and the Korean Film Council, the festival will run through December 12, showcasing a selection of renowned Korean films with English subtitles.

Seontae Hwang, responsible for the festival at the Korean embassy, told The Jordan Times: “We have been celebrating this festival repeatedly since 2006 and it has become one of our public diplomacy activities in the Kingdom,” adding that “the embassy hopes that the Jordanian people enjoy the Korean culture that the movies carry.”

Hwang noted that “for this year, and in comparison with our previous editions, we have chosen the latest and most popular movies in Korea released over the past year.”

“Each of the films represents a different Korean cinematic style, and all of them portray the life of the Korean people, from their personal relations to their history,” Hwang added. 

“Train to Busan” is the film selected for the opening of the festival, directed by Yeon Sang-ho and starring Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi and Ma Dong-seok.

A zombie apocalypse breaks in a train in this action thriller film, where social satire meets melodrama and gore as the passengers attempt to save their lives. 

“This movie premiered in the Midnight Screenings Section of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and set a record as the first Korean film of 2016 to break the audience record of over 10 million theatergoers,” Hwang highlighted. 

The festival will continue on Monday with “The beauty inside”, the directorial debut of Baek Jong-yul in which furniture designer Woo-jin wakes up in a different body every day regardless of age, gender and nationality. The romantic comedy was based on the American social film of the same title.

“The age shadows” was chosen for the closure of the festival, featuring a Korean police captain (Song Kang-ho) charged with rooting out members of his country’s resistance movement by his Japanese overlords.

Director of this period action thriller Kim Jee-won received international critical acclaim by media outlets such as Metacritic, The Film Stage, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. 

AMMAN — President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon on Saturday arrived in Amman for an official visit, during which he will hold talks with His Majesty King Abdullah over bilateral ties and regional and international developments, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

During his visit, Rahmon and his accompanying delegation will also meet with Prime Minister Hani Mulki and senior officials.

Upon arrival at Queen Alia International Airport, the Tajik president was received by State Minister for Legal Affairs Bisher Khasawneh, Amman Mayor Yousef Shawarbeh, civil and military officials, and the non-resident accredited Ambassador of Tajikistan to Jordan Zubaydullah Zubaydov.

AMMAN — President of Amman Chamber of Commerce Issa Murad has called on the commercial sector to close down their stores on Sunday from 12 noon until 1pm in solidarity with Jerusalem. 

In a post he shared on his Facebook page, which was later shared by media outlets, Murad said the step is taken in protest against the decisions by US President Donald Trump to move the American embassy to Jerusalem and to recognise it as the capital of Israel. 

Trump’s decision, which was officially announced on Wednesday, triggered protests and condemnations across the world, especially in Palestine. 

Thousands of Jordanians took to the streets of Amman on Friday, to protest against the decision. 

Despite taking part in the campaign, Ahmad Abu Al Rish, one of the oldest vendors in downtown Amman, said he does not have much optimism over its positive impact. 

“I will do anything to show support to Palestine, but the period of closure is very short. Stores should close for the whole day if they want to send a strong message,” he told The Jordan Times. 

The Foodstuff Traders Association (FTA) President Khalil Haj Tawfiq said Friday’s mass demonstration already sent a strong message against the American president’s decision. 

“The commercial sector should unite and urge their peers in the Arab world to join in and send a strong message to the US commercial sector that they are all opposing this step,” he added. 

Tawfiq said the commercial sector’s message should highlight the negative consequences that will affect the US commercial sector within the Arab region following the decision. 

“They should know that the recent decision will transform Jerusalem from a city of peace into a city of violence,” he said. 

AMMAN — Prime Minister Hani Mulki on Saturday visited Karak, 130km south of Amman, where he met with the members of the governorate council, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. During the meeting, attended by a number of ministers, Mulki stressed the importance of drafting an action plan to evaluate the performance of the governorate councils.

Regarding the claims related to the councils’ connection to ministries, the premier stressed that they are only connected with the Political Development Ministry, while the executive council belongs to the Interior Ministry and the Planning Ministry serves both councils.

The prime minister outlined the role of the governorate councils, noting that their job aims to ensure the implementation of projects in their governorates and moving the allocations to other governorates.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Hani Mulki has issued directives to circulate the Justice Minister’s letter to the ministries, institutions and departments regarding amendments related to issuance of criminal record certificate, which is one of the new e-government services, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

According to the new regulations, certificates are required for three purposes: those required by national institutions — including the public and private sectors — can be obtained online; while certificates required by non-Jordanian institutions such as embassies and to run for parliamentary, municipal council and local council elections have to be obtained in person.

The applicant can verify the authenticity of the certificate on the Justice Ministry’s website. 

AMMAN — Jordan and Saudi Arabia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement an electricity grid connection project between the two countries, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Saturday.

Jordan was represented by the Director General of National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) Abdel Fattah Daradkeh while Saudi Arabia was represented by the CEO of the National Grid SA — Saudi Electricity Company Laith Al Bassam.

In a statement to Petra, Daradkeh said that the MoU comes within the framework of the two companies’ efforts to strengthen the Jordanian and Saudi electricity grid networks to serve the technical and economic interests of both countries. He added that the connection will increase the stability and security of electrical systems, providing reliable sources of electricity for consumers of both countries.

Daradkeh stressed that the bilateral cooperation will allow both parties to move towards an open market for electricity with neighbouring countries, which will help secure the electricity supply to these countries and boost their economies. 

AMMAN — Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) on Friday cancelled the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the Baptism Site, located some 40km west of Amman, a JTB statement said on Saturday.

In the statement sent to The Jordan Times, JTB said that the ceremony was cancelled in solidarity with the Palestinian people after US President Donald Trump’s decision to relocate the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognise the holy city as the capital of Israel.

AMMAN — A Jordanian business delegation’s tour of African countries, organised by the Jordan Investment Commission, in cooperation with the Jordan Chamber of Industry, concluded on Saturday, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The tour, which included the participation of 30 companies, aimed to boost the Kingdom’s economic relations with African countries such as Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia. State Minister for Investment Affairs Muhannad Shehadeh said that the visits laid a solid ground for boosting the national industry in East African countries that are considered among the fastest growing markets in the continent.

He stressed the importance of the Jordanian private sector’s role in spearheading the improvement of trade with these new markets. He also underscored the need for a comprehensive team that includes members of the public and private sectors to follow up on the achievements and developments in this regard.

AMMAN — Deputising for HRH Crown Prince Hussein, Youth Minister Hadithah Khreisha on Saturday attended a ceremony celebrating the second anniversary of the UN Security Council’s adoption of Resolution 2250 on youth, peace and security, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The ceremony was organised by the ministry in cooperation with youth organisations.

The resolution urges members of the Security Council to look for ways to increase the comprehensive representation of the youth in the decision making processes on all levels.  

The ceremony was held to honour the Crown Prince’s efforts in the adaptation of the Resolution 2250 when he chaired the Security Council’s open session on the role of youth in enhancing peace and combating extremism. The UN Security Council unanimously adopted the Jordan-proposed resolution.

Khreisha praised the Crown Prince’s efforts in enhancing the role of youth at regional and international levels.

He noted that the Youth Ministry is following up on the implementation of the Royal directives to successive governments to support the youth and address their concerns.

During the ceremony, young Jordanians shared their success stories in light of the adaptation and implementation of the resolution through workshops. 

AMMAN — The Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) and the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to examine the possibility of exploiting the Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) produced by the Russian corporation within Jordan’s peaceful nuclear programme, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Saturday. 

The MoU was signed by JAEC’s Chairman Khaled Toukan and Rosatom’s representative Yevgeny Bakermanov. 

In a statement released on Saturday, Toukan said that the memorandum is part of Jordan’s efforts to exploit the SMRs as a key element in the country’s nuclear strategy for electricity generation and water desalination, as well as for other thermal and industrial applications. 

He said it will also enhance nuclear cooperation between the two countries as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to implement the national nuclear programme as a strategic option to strengthen local energy sources and boost the national economy. 

For his part, Bakermanov said that Russia and Jordan have been cooperating in the nuclear technology sector for a long time, noting that the MoU will further this cooperation. He also expressed Rosatom’s readiness to present its expertise in SMRs.

Vice Chairman of the JAEC Kamal Araj said that the memorandum comes within the national plans to review global designs in the field of small reactors technology, to then choose the best designs for technical and financial feasibility studies which will serve in assessing the possibility of developing such reactors in Jordan.