Rochester Delegation Visits Siheung, Sister City Exchanges Resume

Discussion on Cooperation in Education, Biohealth, and Tourism

Siheung City in Gyeonggi Province announced on June 26 that a delegation from Rochester, Minnesota, USA, visited Siheung City Hall for a sister city exchange meeting.

A delegation from Rochester City, USA, and Winona State University visited Siheung City Hall on the 26th to pledge the expansion of exchanges between the two cities. Provided by Siheung City

The Rochester delegation, consisting of Mayor Kim Norton and representatives from Winona State University, plans to participate in various exchange activities with Siheung City through June 27.

Previously, Siheung City and Rochester established a sister city relationship in 2006, but exchanges had been suspended due to factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, following a letter from the Mayor of Rochester last year, exchanges between the two cities have been restored, and further active engagement is expected.

Rochester is home to the Mayo Clinic, a global center for bio-healthcare. To become a world-class medical hub, the city has been implementing the Destination Medical Center (DMC) public-private partnership economic development plan centered around the Mayo Clinic since 2013. Winona State University, a long-established public university in the region, serves as a hub for educational and research collaboration.

During the meeting, the two cities discussed cooperation in various fields, including biomedical and tourism sectors.

Following the meeting, the delegation toured major future strategic infrastructure facilities in Siheung City, including the Gyeonggi Global Bio Campus, Korea Polytechnic University, Marine Ecology Science Center, and Wave Park. On June 27, they are scheduled to visit the Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Plant to observe the ecosystem development and eco-friendly energy policy sites firsthand.

Lim Byeongtaek, Mayor of Siheung, stated, "We hope that this exchange will serve as an opportunity to further expand cooperation between the two cities in various fields, including education, industry, environment, and tourism."