Im Jong-seok "Hope Cooperation Projects Start by Next Year at the Latest"
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] On the 18th, Kim Byeong-nae, Mayor of Nam-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, proposed a project at the signing ceremony with the South-North Economic and Cultural Cooperation Foundation to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and promote inter-Korean exchanges by transferring energy industry technology and jointly developing Korean Peninsula kimchi to challenge the global market.
Mayor Kim Byeong-nae stated, “The most necessary thing at this point for the unification of the Korean people is human exchange and continuous cooperation for mutual prosperity,” adding, “I want to contribute to peace on the Korean Peninsula through exchanges with North Korean cities and various interactions.”
This is the second inter-Korean exchange cooperation project suggested at the local government and private levels since the proposal to open a unification clinic in the North was made as an inter-Korean exchange cooperation project at the New Year solidarity meeting held at Mount Kumgang, hosted by South-North private organizations early last year.
Mayor Kim explained, “Nam-gu has sports infrastructure such as an international archery range and an international tennis court, as well as a wrestling team directly operated by the district office, which can contribute to sports exchanges and development between the South and the North.”
He also expressed the opinion that once the Energy Valley National Industrial Complex and local industrial complexes in Daechon are completed, mutual prosperity with the North can be achieved through the transfer of energy industry technology, and that they want to create Korean Peninsula kimchi using the World Kimchi Research Institute located in Imaam-dong and introduce it to the global market.
Kim Byeong-nae, Mayor of Nam-gu, said, “If numerous local governments across the country, including ours, unite their intentions and exchanges between the South and the North begin, the day when we join hands with compatriots in the North and climb Mount Baekdu will not be far away. Until the day the train departing from Gwangju arrives at Baekdu Mountain Station, we will be the catalyst for unification.”
At the event, Lim Jong-seok, Chairman of the South-North Economic and Cultural Cooperation Foundation, emphasized that fields forming the foundation of the social community such as forestry, healthcare, and agriculture should be resolved by our people themselves without relying on third countries.
Chairman Lim said, “If this project proceeds steadily, I am confident that trust will be built that transcends the unstable political environment, and based on that trust, if distinctive exchange cooperation projects between local governments follow, the path to inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation will be firmly established.”
Regarding the timing of the implementation of inter-Korean exchange cooperation, he stated, “Hopefully, consultations with the North will proceed within this year, and at least by this winter, or at the latest from next year, cooperation projects will begin. I hope that meaningful cooperation projects will be established in dozens of local governments within the term of the Moon Jae-in administration.”
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