Wearing South Korean traditional costume "durumagi", leaders from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 21 member economies posed together for group photograph on Saturday in Busan.

Durumagi, a South Korean traditional silk overcoat, was chosen by the Preparatory Office for APEC 2005 over other designs as it is comfortable and suitable for early winter.

The coats come in seven different colors. Gold, brown, silver, dark blue and light green for men, and pink and purple for women.

Especially, for convenience, the traditional coat has been redesigned to be worn comfortably over a Western-style suit. It has pockets, a decorative knot which acts as a button, and a ribbon in a pre-tied design as it requires skillful hands and patience to tie properly.

The soft, fine silk selected for the leaders' durumagi is a popular fabric for spring and autumn traditional attire in Korea. The coats are double-layered for warmth, as Busan can get rather windy.

The coats are decorated with elegant peony designs and several of the 10 traditional oriental longevity symbols, such as the pine tree, which symbolizes unchanging faith and loyalty; bamboo, which stands for a wise man's dignity and fidelity; and clouds, representing freedom.

The Advisory Committee on APEC Leaders' Traditional Attire chose the style, material and decorative touches of the durumagi by screening a total of 26 design entries from 14 cities and provinces nationwide in a contest sponsored by the Preparatory Office for APEC 2005 in April this year.

The Advisory Committee named Lee Young-hee, 69, a famous South Korean dress designer, as head designer of the coat.

The Preparatory Office for APEC 2005 said that it hopes the official group photograph of the leaders will introduce traditional South Korean apparel design to the world, offering an opportunity for its distribution in the international community.

Source: Xinhua