Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corp. said Wednesday that it will sign a contract with the InterContinental Hotels Group in October to cooperate in globalizing Korean food.

The corporation, or aT, plans to launch promotional events in InterContinental hotels in Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong following conclusion of the contract. The company said the event includes publicizing Korean foods through the local media and providing culinary lessons.

aT will also financially support the cooks’ flight and personal expenses, whereas the hotel group will sponsor lodging and food ingredients, according to corporation officials. The hotel business giant runs about 4,500 hotels in about 100 countries.

The promotion will be followed by a hiring session by the InterContinental hotel arranged for the graduates of Korean food school, according to aT officials.

aT seeks to increase the speed of globalization through working with the hotel group. The company said hotels are seeing positive reactions to promotional events of Korean foods from customers. Hotels in cities such as Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai ― where promotions have taken place ― are offering Korean cuisines, it said.

The corporation plans to train 2,300 local workers at Korean restaurants in 13 cities of nine countries including the United States, China, Japan, Canada, Australia and Indonesia, starting next month.

By Kim Eun-seo (estee.kim@gmail.com)