The Korean Culture and Information Service, an arm of the culture ministry, will host a range of Lunar New Year events at 25 cultural or public relations centers in 22 countries abroad.

In Asian countries where Lunar New Year is generally celebrated, events will highlight similarities and differences between each country's traditions and those of Korea.

The Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong will promote traditional Korean games and the custom of sharing red envelopes, locally known as "hongbao."

The Korean Cultural Centre in India will hand out gifts of Korean tteok, or desserts made with glutinous rice, and winter supplies to students and impoverished residents on Monday.

In the Americas, the cultural center in Washington will host performances of the Korean traditional percussion music "samulnori" at major U.S. institutions including the Smithsonian and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts through early next month.

The Korean Cultural Centre in Canada will run a program to teach children how to perform a bow as part of the traditional New Year's greeting.

Many other Lunar New Year events are also scheduled at cultural centers in Europe and the Middle East, including presentations, language classes and fortune reading.