Yongin, a 'Semiconductor' Hub, Signs 'Sister City Exchange Agreement' with Pohang, a Center for 'Secondary Batteries and Hydrogen'

Seeking Mutual Growth through Cooperation in Administration, Economy, Culture, and Tourism
Mayor Lee Sang-il: "Collaboration between Two Cities Contributes to the Development of the Republic of Korea"

Yongin City in Gyeonggi Province signed a 'Sister City Exchange Agreement' with Pohang City in North Gyeongsang Province on the 14th.

Mayor Lee Sang-il of Yongin and Mayor Lee Kang-deok of Pohang signed the sister city exchange agreement in the main conference room of Pohang City Hall on the same day, agreeing to cooperate for the exchange and development of the two cities.

Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin (right), and Lee Kang-deok, Mayor of Pohang, are holding up the agreement at the "Sister City Exchange Agreement Ceremony" held at Pohang City Hall on the 14th.
[Photo by Yongin City]

The two cities expect to achieve convergence and synergy effects among future advanced industries through friendly cooperation between Yongin, which is establishing a large-scale semiconductor cluster, and Pohang, which has secured growth engines in the secondary battery and hydrogen fuel cell industries.

Through this agreement, the two cities will mutually cooperate in the fields of ▲administration and autonomy ▲economy ▲tourism ▲culture, and expand exchanges at the private sector level to enhance the residents' self-governance capabilities.

To this end, they will promote exchanges to revitalize resident autonomy and share excellent city policies, and support raising the city's prestige through exchanges between local private organizations and cultural and artistic groups. In addition, activities to promote local representative festivals, specialty products, and famous tourist attractions will also be carried out together.

In particular, the two cities agreed to share human resources to support companies and their overseas expansion. Taking this agreement as an opportunity, Yongin City will share personnel from its unique corporate export support project, the 'Citizen Interpretation and Translation Supporters,' with Pohang City to assist companies in expanding overseas, and will also create opportunities for promising companies to exchange and generate synergy effects.

This sister city exchange agreement is a preliminary step before becoming 'twin cities.' Yongin and Pohang plan to cooperate in various fields this year for development and establish a twin city relationship next year.

Mayor Lee Sang-il of Yongin emphasized, "I believe that if the two cities cooperate and learn from each other through this agreement, it will greatly contribute to the development of the Republic of Korea and the improvement of citizens' quality of life," adding, "We will strive to make this a model case of urban cooperation by learning from each other's strengths to establish policies and actively promoting exchanges among various private organizations."

Mayor Lee Kang-deok of Pohang also said, "I hope this sister city agreement will serve as an opportunity for the two cities to cooperate and learn from each other for the development of the Republic of Korea."

Meanwhile, with this agreement, the number of domestic local governments that have signed sister city exchange agreements with Yongin City has increased to a total of 12. Starting with Jindo County in Jeollanam-do in 2006, the city has formed sister city relationships with Yeongcheon City in North Gyeongsang Province, Jeju City in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Wando County in Jeollanam-do, Sacheon City in South Gyeongsang Province, Goseong County in South Gyeongsang Province, Hampyeong County in Jeollanam-do, Sokcho City in Gangwon Province, Danyang County in North Chungcheong Province, Jeonju City in North Jeolla Province, and Gwangyang City in Jeollanam-do, continuing exchanges for urban development.