Yang Geumhee, Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs of North Gyeongsang Province, "Expecting Economic, Cultural, and Agricultural Cooperation with Georgia, USA"

Participation in the Atlanta Korean Festival
Meeting with the Secretary of State of Georgia

To commemorate World Korean Day (October 5 each year), North Gyeongsang Province participated in the Korean Festival held in Lawrenceville, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, from October 4 to 5, 2025. The province promoted the excellence of Korean products and discussed mutual cooperation between North Gyeongsang Province and the State of Georgia.

Now in its second year, the Atlanta Korean Festival serves as both a marketing opportunity to showcase the excellence of Korean products and a venue for local residents to enjoy Korean Wave culture together.

The Secretary of State of Georgia, USA (right), is holding up the certificate of honorary citizenship presented to Kyungbok Province Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs Yang Geumhee.

Yang Geumhee, Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs of North Gyeongsang Province, attended the opening ceremony on October 4 and stated, "I hope that the excellent agricultural products and cosmetics of North Gyeongsang Province, such as traditional sauces, red pepper powder, and health foods, will ride the wave of K-Food popularity and lead to export achievements in Atlanta, USA, which is now called the heart of K-Manufacturing thanks to the recent entry of major Korean conglomerates."

Eight small and medium-sized enterprises from North Gyeongsang Province that participated in this Korean Festival achieved on-site sales of 50,000 dollars and secured export consultations and contracts totaling 220,000 dollars.

Prior to the festival's opening ceremony, Deputy Governor Yang met with Brad Raffensperger, Secretary of State of Georgia, and held extensive discussions on expanding economic and agricultural exchanges and cooperation between the two regions.

At the meeting, Deputy Governor Yang emphasized, "Georgia is home to the headquarters of many global companies, and major Korean conglomerates such as Hyundai Motor and SK On have also established a presence here, earning Atlanta the nickname 'the heart of K-Manufacturing.' North Gyeongsang Province also boasts a large-scale industrial base with companies like POSCO and Samsung, and is currently pursuing a transition to smart agriculture using AI technology. This shows that there are many commonalities between Georgia and North Gyeongsang Province in the fields of industry, technology, and agriculture."

Deputy Governor Yang also expressed the intention to promote academic and research exchanges between Kyungpook National University’s Sangju Campus and the University of Georgia to strengthen practical cooperation in agriculture. She added, "Through practical cooperative projects such as youth talent exchanges and joint research on agricultural technology, I hope to enhance the agricultural competitiveness of both regions together."

During the following schedule, Secretary Raffensperger presented Deputy Governor Yang with a certificate of honorary citizenship from the State of Georgia as a gesture of hospitality. In response, Deputy Governor Yang said, "I hope that this meeting and the honorary citizenship certificate will serve as an opportunity for North Gyeongsang Province and Georgia to build even closer cooperative relations in various fields such as economy, culture, and agriculture. I will continue to actively work to promote mutual friendship and cooperation."

Deputy Governor Yang also encouraged Secretary Raffensperger, who has officially announced his candidacy for Governor of Georgia in next year's election, saying, "If you are elected, I hope you will visit Korea and make sure to visit Andong in North Gyeongsang Province, known as 'the Korea within Korea.' Andong is the birthplace of Confucian culture and a city rich in world heritage, making it a symbolic place to further deepen ties with Georgia."