Fortune tellers to discuss future of world and Korean leader

(ATTN: CORRECTS dateline to November)
By Kim Boram
SEOUL, Nov. 4 (Yonhap) -- Fortune tellers from nine countries will gather in Seoul this week to offer their predictions of how the South Korean and U.S. presidents deal with the global economic slump and other obstacles, their association said Tuesday.

"Fortune tellers from nine countries including China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia
and the United States will share their views on I-Ching studies," said Baek
Woon-san, a head of the Association of Korean Psychics. The symposium will run
from Thursday to Monday.
I-Ching, meaning "classic of changes," is one of the oldest Chinese classical
texts that delineates a system of cosmology and philosophy, and is often used in
modern Eastern societies as a tool of divination.
"It is definitely a time of change. The world economy is tumbling and Korea is in
trouble," said Baek. "At the conference, we will present papers on I-Ching
research methods and predict the future of the world."
The fortune tellers will offer their predictions on how world leaders,
particularly South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak and the next U.S. president,
will overcome current global obstacles.
"President Lee is facing harsh pressure, but he will overcome it when the world
economy gets better in late 2009," Baek said of his own vision, adding Lee is
very lucky in his personal life.
The participants will also focus on the leadership of the new U.S. president, to
be elected on Wednesday (Korean time), Baek said.
The International I-Ching Study was founded in 1984 by soothsayers of South
Korea, China and Japan to study and promote friendship among the members. This
year marks its 20th session.
brk@yna.co.kr
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