Paju-si Appoints First Foreigner as 32nd Daily Honorary Mayor

Fukumori Noboru, President of Hadano-Paju Friendship Association

Paju City appointed Noboru Fukumori, President of the Hadano-Paju Friendship Association, as the 32nd Honorary Mayor for a Day on the 18th and took a commemorative photo.

Paju City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Kyung-il) announced on the 21st that Noboru Fukumori (83), President of the Hadano-Paju Friendship Association, was appointed as the 32nd one-day honorary mayor on the 18th.

This one-day honorary mayor appointment took place during the visit of a citizen goodwill delegation from Hadano City, Japan, Paju's sister city abroad, who came to attend the Paju Kaesong Ginseng Festival and to promote private exchanges between the two cities' friendship associations.

Honorary Mayor Noboru Fukumori has been actively engaged in promoting private exchanges and friendship since his inauguration as president of the Hadano-Paju Friendship Association in 2016. Hadano City is an eco-friendly city located in the central-western part of Kanagawa Prefecture, 60 km from Tokyo. It established a sister city relationship with Paju City in October 2005, and the two cities have been actively exchanging in various fields such as youth, sports, culture, and administration.

Starting his day with the honorary mayor appointment ceremony in Paju, the honorary mayor visited the Central Library to receive a work report, experienced various programs for citizens, including advanced information service systems provided by the library and practical education integrating knowledge through books, and took time to learn about Paju City's library policies.

Afterward, he prepared for the visit to the Paju Kaesong Ginseng Festival held on the 19th, and concluded the schedule by discussing development plans to promote private exchanges with Kim Kyung-sun, president of the Paju-Hadano Friendship Association.