Seongnam City Signs Sister City Agreement with Huizhou, China

Mayor Shin Sangjin: "Driving Seongnam's Leap to a Global City"
Relationship Upgraded After 8 Years of Friendly Cooperation
Opening a New Chapter in Korea-China City Collaboration

Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Shin Sangjin) announced on the 19th that it had officially signed a sister city agreement with Huizhou City in Guangdong Province, China, on the 18th, upgrading the relationship between the two cities from friendly cities to sister cities.

Sangjin Shin, mayor of Seongnam (seventh from the left in the front row), is taking a commemorative photo after officially signing a sister city agreement with Huizhou City, Guangdong Province, China, on the 18th. Provided by Seongnam City

This achievement comes eight years after the two cities signed a friendly cooperation agreement in 2016. Moving forward, the two cities plan to establish a practical cooperation system in various fields, including administration, industry, and culture.

The signing ceremony, held at a hotel in Huizhou, was attended by the mayors of Seongnam and Huizhou, the Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Guangzhou, members of both city councils, and representatives from related organizations, totaling around 40 participants. Both mayors personally signed the agreement and expressed their strong commitment to expanding exchanges.

At the signing ceremony, Mayor Shin Sangjin stated, "Today's sister city agreement reflects our determination for both cities to move forward together toward future growth and shared prosperity," adding, "In particular, we will actively pursue concrete and practical cooperative projects in the fields of advanced industries and smart cities."

Huizhou is an industrial city located in eastern Guangdong Province, with advanced manufacturing industries such as electronics, batteries, and displays concentrated there. Through this agreement, Seongnam City expects to expand the foundation for local companies to enter the Chinese market.

Seongnam Mayor Shin Sangjin (left) officially signed a sister city agreement with Huizhou City, Guangdong Province, China, on the 18th. Provided by Seongnam City

Prior to the signing ceremony, the Seongnam City delegation held a breakfast meeting with Liu Ji, Party Secretary of Huizhou, to discuss mutually beneficial cooperation between the two cities. They also visited major local companies, including the Korea-China Industrial Park, DESAY, and TCL. On the same evening, an official welcome dinner hosted by Huizhou City provided an opportunity to strengthen cultural ties and friendship between the two cities.

Meanwhile, on the evening of the first day of the visit, June 17, the delegation held a meeting with the Huizhou Korean Association, directly listening to the voices of local businesses and Korean residents, and discussing ways for the city to support overseas enterprises.

Seongnam City plans to consider youth exchange programs, smart city policy cooperation, and business matching programs between the two cities as a result of this sister city agreement.

A city official evaluated the agreement as "a very important turning point for Seongnam City in its growth as a global cooperative city."

After completing its schedule in Huizhou, the Seongnam City delegation plans to travel to Thanh Hoa Province in Vietnam on June 19 to sign a second sister city agreement.