Chairman Kim Agrees to Expedite Signing of Friendship Agreement with First Vice Chair Nuri Aslan at Istanbul City Hall on the 27th
Discussed Plans to Revitalize Tourism Resources Including Cultural Heritage Management and Youth Exchange Promotion
Held Meetings with Mayors of Urgup and Nevsehir in Cappadocia Region Following Ankara Visit
Kim Hyun-ki, Chairman of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, who is on an official visit to T?rkiye, visited Istanbul City Hall, the largest city after the capital Ankara, on the 27th, and met with Nuri Aslan, the 1st Vice Chairman, agreeing to sign a friendship agreement between the two councils as soon as possible.
During this meeting, held at the official invitation of the Istanbul Metropolitan Council, Chairman Kim discussed in depth ways to revitalize tourism resources such as cultural heritage management and youth exchange promotion, laying the groundwork for expanding exchange and cooperation between the Seoul and Istanbul councils.
Chairman Kim said, “Although T?rkiye is geographically distant, it is historically a very close brotherly country,” adding, “I look forward to close friendly cooperation between Seoul, Korea’s number one city, and Istanbul, T?rkiye’s largest city.”
He continued, “I am impressed by Istanbul’s policies in four areas: transportation, tourism, cultural assets, and urban planning,” and said, “Especially, cultural assets are well managed and preserved, so I would like to learn about their cultural heritage management know-how.”
Nuri Aslan, the 1st Vice Chairman, said, “If we have a shared heart, geographical distance does not matter,” and urged, “Both Seoul and Istanbul are world-class international cities, so please work hard to expand relations.”
He also proposed, “There is particularly high interest in K-pop and K-culture among Istanbul’s teenagers and people in their twenties,” and expressed a desire to activate exchange student programs for youth and young adults.
Chairman Kim plans to concretize exchanges in various fields through the upcoming friendship agreement.
During their visit to T?rkiye, the Seoul Metropolitan Council delegation also held meetings with the mayors of ?rg?p (Ali Ertu?rul Bul) and Nev?ehir (Rasim Ali) in the Cappadocia region to discuss ways to enhance exchange and cooperation.
?rg?p and Nev?ehir are central tourist hubs in the Cappadocia region, which is home to many historical sites, and they discussed ways to revitalize tourism.
Chairman Kim said, “Through this visit to T?rkiye, we have been able to strengthen exchange and cooperation with the councils of the capital Ankara and the largest city Istanbul,” adding, “Going forward, the Seoul Metropolitan Council will continue to strengthen friendly cooperation with cities around the world to secure urban competitiveness.”
The Seoul Metropolitan Council delegation concluded their official 7-night, 9-day schedule with the meeting at the Istanbul Council.
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