UCLG ASPAC General Assembly 7 Months Away... Goyang City Takes Center Stage in Urban Diplomacy

September 24-26 at KINTEX
Exchange activities include dispatch of Kunming City officials from China, serving as a bridge with local governments in the Chinese-speaking region
Mayor Lee Donghwan: "Close communication with 22 Asia-Pacific countries... We will build an economic network"

Goyang Special City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Dong-hwan) plans to solidify its global network and lay the foundation as a self-sufficient city through the 10th General Assembly of the United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific Section (UCLG ASPAC) to be held this September.

Lee Dong-hwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City, presenting at the 9th UCLG ASPAC Yiwu General Assembly session in 2023. Provided by Goyang Special City

According to Goyang Special City on the 19th, the city successfully secured the 10th General Assembly last year as a result of external efforts to attract the UCLG ASPAC General Assembly since 2023.

The UCLG ASPAC General Assembly is the largest meeting of local government unions, involving over 220 local governments from 22 countries belonging to the United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific Section. Through the assembly, Goyang City plans not only to gain significant promotional effects but also to strengthen cooperation among global cities and produce tangible results.

The 10th UCLG ASPAC General Assembly, held for three days from September 24 to 26 at KINTEX Exhibition Hall 2, is a meaningful event as it is the third time the assembly is hosted in Korea. The city plans to enhance its global leadership through this assembly.

The main theme of this 10th General Assembly is “Sustainable Global Self-Sufficient Cities and Regions for the Future,” covering five key sub-themes for a sustainable future: ▲Job Creation ▲Youth Leadership ▲Energy Self-Sufficiency ▲Family-Friendly Cities ▲Urban Growth.

In particular, at the main forum, each local government will present their sustainable development models and innovative projects, exchanging experiences and know-how. Through this, the assembly aims to promote cooperation and mutual growth among local governments in the Asia-Pacific region and lay the groundwork for international cooperation for sustainable development in the region.

Additionally, various side events such as tree planting ceremonies, startup competitions, and photo exhibitions will be held during the assembly. The startup competition offers young entrepreneurs the opportunity to introduce their innovative ideas and projects to local governments worldwide, fostering networking and collaboration among participants and adding vitality to the assembly.

The city has attracted international attention by promoting various innovative policies such as smart city construction, eco-friendly energy policies, and citizen-centered urban design. This assembly will not only be an opportunity to showcase these leading policies to the world but also serve as a stepping stone for the city to leap forward as a global cooperation hub.

Last October, the city officially expressed its intention to host the 10th General Assembly at the 9th UCLG ASPAC General Assembly held in Yiwu City, China, and was unanimously selected as the host city by the board of directors.

Signing ceremony of the Letter of Intent for Cooperation at the 10th UCLG ASPAC General Assembly in 2024. Provided by Goyang Special City

This was a follow-up action based on the Letter of Intent (LOI) for hosting the assembly signed between Goyang City and UCLG ASPAC in May last year. At the time of signing the LOI, UCLG ASPAC executives, including Secretary-General Verdadia Chandradevi, visited to coincide with the closing of the 2024 Goyang International Flower Festival and held a meeting with Mayor Lee Dong-hwan of Goyang Special City. Afterwards, the executives toured major landmarks of Goyang City such as KINTEX, the Goyang International Flower Festival, Ilsan Lake Park, and Haengju Fortress to directly experience the city’s infrastructure.

International events like the Goyang International Flower Festival serve as practical links for building global networks and international cooperation.

This year, the city plans to maximize international cooperation by inviting delegations from sister and friendship cities abroad to the 2025 Goyang International Flower Festival and strengthening intimacy and bonds through face-to-face exchanges.

The city is also focusing on discovering new exchange cities where core municipal affairs such as economic exchanges can be shared, in addition to building global networks through international events.

Last September, the city visited Kunming City, China, for discussions on promoting international exchanges and proposed the promotion of the UCLG ASPAC General Assembly and the K2H (Public Official Administrative Training) program. Accordingly, Kunming City officials will undergo administrative training in Goyang City for six months from April to October.

Among the over 220 cities participating in the assembly, 35 are local governments from the Chinese-speaking region, so Kunming City officials are expected to play a close bridging role between Goyang City and cities in the Chinese-speaking region.

Keynote Speech at the 2nd UCLG ASPAC Zhengzhou Executive Committee Meeting 2024. Provided by Goyang Special City

Kunming City is the administrative center of Yunnan Province, China, with a population of about 6.4 million and is nicknamed the “City of Spring (春珹)” due to its year-round spring-like weather. Because of this characteristic, it hosts the largest fresh flower market in Asia, the Dunam Flower Market. The city plans to explore cooperation with Kunming City for the development of the flower industry.

In addition, last year, to expand overseas exchange cooperation, the city signed a friendship exchange agreement with Fullerton City, USA, as the first friendly cooperation city of the 8th elected administration. It also signed Letters of Intent (LOI) for friendly cooperation with Curitiba City, Brazil, and Paris Est Marne et Bois, France, and plans to sign a friendship exchange agreement this year with Kaohsiung City, with which exchanges had been interrupted since COVID-19.

Mayor Lee Dong-hwan of Goyang Special City stated, “We will strengthen the international cooperation network through close communication with the invited countries of the Asia-Pacific General Assembly. By hosting a large-scale global event, we will build an economic network for the Free Economic Zone and Ilsan Technovalley and advance toward becoming a truly global self-sufficient city.”