Paju City Signs Sister City Agreement with Gloucester City, UK

Upgraded from Sister Cities to Twin Cities in Friendship City Agreement

Gyeonggi Paju City (Mayor Kim Kyung-il) announced on the 6th that it signed a “Sister City Agreement” with Gloucester City, UK, on the 5th. The signing ceremony aims to promote mutual cooperation in areas such as ▲educational exchange ▲economic exchange ▲sports exchange.

Paju City signed a sister city agreement with Gloucester City, UK, on the 5th. Photo by Paju City

The signing ceremony held in the main conference room of Gloucester City Hall was attended by Kim Kyung-il, Mayor of Paju City, Lorraine Campbell, Mayor of Gloucester, and Jeremy Hilton, Chair of Gloucester City Council.

Since signing the “Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Sister City Partnership” in April 2014 in Paju City, the two cities have continuously maintained exchanges between schools and delegations. In 2016, they provided support funds for the establishment of the Korean War Museum within the Gloucestershire Regiment Museum, and in early 2020, when COVID-19 cases and deaths surged, they also donated 1,000 sets of personal protective equipment.

Additionally, Paju City has established the “Seolma-ri Memorial Park” in Seolma-ri, Jeokseong-myeon, to honor the British soldiers who died in the Battle of Seolma-ri during the Korean War, and commemorates the Battle of Imjin River annually.

The Paju City delegation, invited by Mayor Lorraine Campbell to visit Gloucester City, toured facilities related to Paju within Gloucester, including the Regiment Museum, Imjin Base, and Paju Road, reaffirming the strong friendship between the two cities that has lasted for a long time.

The Paju City delegation presented a commemorative plaque engraved with the “Gamak Mountain Suspension Bridge,” nicknamed the “Bridge of Gloucester Heroes” in honor of the British soldiers who died in the Battle of Seolma-ri, promising to continue the ongoing friendly relations between the two cities.

Mayor Kim Kyung-il of Paju City said, “The connection between Paju City and Gloucester City has continued since the Korean War. In 2014, we signed the ‘Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Sister City Partnership’ in Paju, and this sister city agreement was signed in Gloucester City.” He added, “Through this sister city agreement, we will promote exchange and cooperation in various fields such as education, sports, and economy to foster the joint development of the two cities.”

Gloucester City, boasting a history of 2,000 years, is the capital of Gloucestershire in the South West England region of the UK. It is famous for the fierce battle of the Gloucestershire Regiment during the Battle of Imjin River in the Korean War, where they fought against three divisions of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army.