EARLY EDITION 18:00 President Park carries out cultural diplomacy in Qatar

ARIRANG NEWS 18:00 Welcome to our newscast. I′m Daniel Choy. President Park carries out cultural diplomacy in Qatar After celebrating 40 years of diplomatic relations last year, Korea and Qatar are now seeking to take their cooperative relationship beyond politics and the economy into the realm of sports and culture. President Park Geun-hye, who has been touring the Middle East, is currently in the Qatari capital of Doha, where she attended a special performance highlighting just some of what Korea has to offer. Choi You-sun reports. The Korean martial art of taekwondo, backed by the beat of traditional Korean instruments. The brilliance and precision of the performance won the hearts of both Korean and Qatari audiences Saturday night. A group of Qatari children also took the stage to show off their taekwondo skills. They are just some of the 3-thousand Qataris known to practice the Korean martial art. President Park Geun-hye was also there to praise the collaborative effort by members of the Taekwondo Headquarters, a group of Korean b-boys and a traditional music band. "Did you enjoy the show? It was a chance for me to rediscover the internal strength and appeal of taekwondo." President Park expressed her hope that Seoul and Doha would take their cooperative relationship beyond politics and the economy. "I hope Korea and Qatar will further expand the exchanges in taekwondo and other areas in sports and culture." Specifically, the president voiced her commitment to assisting Doha in preparations for Qatar′s hosting of the World Cup in 2022. On Sunday, President Park is scheduled to meet the Qatari emir for summit talks, where she will seek to enhance bilateral ties with the Arab nation and boost cooperation on global issues. Choi You-sun, Arirang News, Doha. China signals China-N. Korea summit possible The leaders of China and North Korea could soon be meeting for a summit. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday during a press conference that President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could meet for talks at a time when it is "convenient." The Chinese diplomat said the two countries have a strong foundation and should not be affected by "temporary events." The young North Korean leader will be traveling to Russia this May for an event marking the 70th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two. Kim has not traveled to China, North Korea′s only formal ally, since taking power in 2011. N. Korea orchestrated cyber attack on Sony Pictures: Sankei Shimbun A new report by a Japanese daily backs the U.S. claim that North Korea carried out last year′s cyber attack on Sony Pictures. The Sankei Shimbun on Sunday reported a claim by a former officer of Pyongyang′s Reconnaissance General Bureau,... who said the bureau director, General Kim Yong-chol, orchestrated the attack. Kim emerged as a member of North Korea′s Central Military Commission i