Yeonghonam Symbol 'Dalbit Dongmaeng', Standing Tall as a Leading Brand

Breaking Down the Dark Regional Sentiment Walls to Promote Harmony
Expanding Exchanges Across All Areas in the 8th Elected Administration
New Cooperative Governance Model for Balanced Regional Development Evaluated

Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung (left in the photo) and Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo are being recognized for creating a new model of regional balanced development through strengthened cooperation between the two regions during the 8th local government term. The photo shows them attending the celebration event for the passage of the Moonlight Railroad Special Act in the National Assembly.
[Photo by Gwangju Metropolitan City]

The 'Moonlight Alliance' formed between Gwangju Metropolitan City and Daegu Metropolitan City is being evaluated as becoming even stronger under the 8th local government administration.

The 'Moonlight Alliance' is a term created in March 2013 when Gwangju Metropolitan City and Daegu Metropolitan City initiated a win-win project. At that time, it was conducted as a one-time event between the two local governments to break down regional sentiment barriers and achieve harmony, but gradually it has expanded into the private sector including arts, education, finance, and social organizations, thus now establishing itself as a brand.

▲ Exchanges such as Gwangju City and Daegu International Food Industry Exhibition

From the 28th to the 31st of this month, 14 companies from Gwangju, including the region’s specialty Mudeungsan watermelon, kimchi, grilled short rib patties (tteokgalbi), confectionery and bakery, and traditional liquor, will participate in the ‘2024 Daegu International Food Industry Exhibition’ held at Daegu EXCO.

Gwangju and Daegu have been operating a ‘Moonlight Alliance Pavilion’ at the food exhibitions held annually in both cities since 2013 to create a platform for agricultural and food product exchanges and promote the mutual development of the food industry in the two regions.

Gwangju and Daegu also recently conducted mutual hometown love donations online with public officials. The hometown love mutual donation involved 122 public officials, including deputy mayors of Gwangju and Daegu, voluntarily participating and applying for return gifts such as agricultural and livestock products, processed foods, and crafts produced locally. This hometown love mutual donation between Gwangju and Daegu has been carried out for two consecutive years since April last year.

The two cities showcased the ‘Moonlight Alliance’ by holding the ‘Moonlight Series’ baseball games between the KIA Tigers and Samsung Lions, and by Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung and Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo watching the K League soccer match ‘Gwangju FC vs. Daegu FC’ together at DGB Daegu Bank Park.

▲ Exploring measures to respond to heatwaves

A forum was also held to explore measures to respond to increasingly severe heatwaves. In May, four institutions including the Gwangju Carbon Neutral Support Center, Daegu Carbon Neutral Support Center, Daegu Meteorological Administration, and Gwangju Meteorological Administration held the ‘1st Gwangju-Daegu Heatwave Response Moonlight Forum.’ This was organized following the ‘Moonlight Railway Special Act,’ raising the need for early achievement of carbon neutrality and the establishment of a cooperative system to respond to climate change between the two cities. At the forum, various measures were discussed, including heatwave response cases in the two cities, advancement of heatwave prediction technology, and expansion of heatwave mitigation facilities.

In this way, Gwangju and Daegu have been solidifying the ‘Moonlight Alliance’ by swiftly resolving the long-standing wishes of Yeongnam and Honam residents through agreements such as the ‘Moonlight Alliance Strengthening Agreement’ signed in November 2022 to open air, rail, and water routes, the simultaneous passage of the Military Airport Special Act last April, and the passage of the Moonlight Railway Special Act in the National Assembly this January.

The two cities, which opened gateways for logistics and transportation, signed the ‘Southern Mega Economic Zone Formation Agreement’ in February with basic local governments along the Moonlight Railway route to further strengthen the mutual development of Yeongnam and Honam, accelerating regional balanced development against the one-polarization of the metropolitan area through East-West harmony and joint prosperity.

▲ Expansion into all fields such as arts and education

The ‘Moonlight Alliance’ between Dalgu-beol (Daegu) and Bitgoeul (Gwangju) is expanding beyond a local government alliance into the private sector including arts, education, finance, social organizations, and the economic sector.

Young artists from Gwangju and Daegu recently held the ‘Moonlight Exchange Exhibition’ at the Gwangju Museum of Art and Gwansunjae Gallery. This event provided an opportunity for artists working in the two cities to share their artistic worlds beyond regional boundaries and expand their networks.

Gwangju Bank and iM Bank (formerly DGB Daegu Bank) are conducting ‘Moonlight Alliance volunteer activities.’ Since signing the ‘Exchange Cooperation to Strengthen the Moonlight Alliance’ in 2015, they have regularly traveled between Yeongnam and Honam regions to carry out social contribution activities.

In education, the ‘Moonlight Alliance’ is being used as an opportunity for joint growth and development beyond regional boundaries.

Since establishing an AI convergence education cooperation system with Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education in 2021, Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education has held teacher training camps and student hackathons annually.

Yeungjin College in Daegu opened the Moonlight Lecture Room at Chonnam National University’s AI Convergence College in the first semester of this year to conduct classes for computer information students. Chosun College of Science and Technology and Yeungnam College of Science and Technology held the ‘Yeongnam-Honam Science and Technology Workshop’ last year to explore win-win cooperation through mutual exchange. Chosun University and Keimyung University also jointly conducted programs last year to enhance students’ global citizenship awareness and creative problem-solving skills.

Through cultural exchanges, ties are being strengthened not only among local youth but also among women’s organizations.

Youth from Gwangju participated in an exchange event in June, invited by Daegu youth, to understand Daegu’s history and explore its culture.

Gwangju Mayor Kang Ki-jung stated, “The Moonlight Alliance has become a new cooperative governance model for regional balanced development that blocks the one-polar system of the metropolitan area and a health recovery project for Korea, symbolizing both cities. Gwangju and Daegu, rich in culture and history, will blend and connect with each other, blooming a southern renaissance across the economy, culture, sports, and education.”