Yongin City and Hwasun County Sign Sister City Agreement for Exchange and Development

Cooperation in Administration, Economy, Culture, and Tourism
Support for Exchanges Between Private Organizations
Lee Sangil: "Yongin's Semiconductors and Hwasun's Bio Industry Will Drive Future Growth"

Yongin City in Gyeonggi Province announced on the 10th that it has signed a sister city agreement with Hwasun County in South Jeolla Province and agreed to cooperate for exchange and development between the two cities.

Yongin Mayor Lee Sangil and Hwasun County Governor Goo Bokgyu are discussing ways to promote exchange and cooperation while touring the exile site of scholar Jo Gwangjo after the sister city agreement ceremony on the 10th. Provided by Yongin City

The signing ceremony, held at Hwasun County Office on this day, was attended by Yongin Mayor Lee Sangil, Hwasun County Governor Goo Bokgyu, and other officials from both cities. With this agreement, the number of Yongin’s sister cities has increased to 15.

This sister city partnership was established after Mayor Lee Sangil conveyed to Governor Goo Bokgyu in July his wish for the two cities, which share the cultural heritage of Jo Gwangjo and Yang Paengson, to engage in exchange and cooperation.

Jo Gwangjo, also known as Jeongam, was born in Yongin in 1482 and was exiled to Hwasun County during the Gimyo Literati Purge in 1519, where he was forced to take poison. Scholar Yang Paengson, known as Hakpo, studied together with Jo Gwangjo at Sungkyunkwan, forming a close friendship. After resigning from his government post and returning home, he maintained a deep relationship with Jo Gwangjo during the latter's exile in Hwasun.

In Sanghyeon-dong, Suji-gu, Yongin, there is the tomb of Jo Gwangjo and the Simgok Seowon, a cultural heritage site commemorating him. The city plans to invest a total of 16.58 billion won, including 3.58 billion won in national funds and 6.5 billion won in provincial funds, by December next year to build a memorial hall and park in the Simgok Seowon area.

With the signing of the sister city agreement, the two cities pledged to pursue mutual development through exchange and cooperation in a wide range of fields, including culture, tourism, arts, sports, economy, education, and administration.

The two cities plan not only to share best practices in administration and local governance, but also to support private-level exchanges such as those between residents’ councils. In the tourism sector, they will promote each other’s tourism products and festivals and develop exchange programs for cultural and geological interpreters.

In the economic sector, the cities will share startup programs, support the development and promotion of agricultural product sales channels, and promote cultural exchange through educational policies, children and youth cultural exchange programs, and special performances with local cultural organizations.

Additionally, the two cities will share know-how on urban regeneration projects and cooperate to ensure rapid recovery and prevent the spread of damage in the event of disasters or calamities.

Mayor Lee Sangil stated, “Yongin City, which is emerging as a global semiconductor hub, and Hwasun County, which leads the vaccine and bio industry as Korea’s only specialized vaccine zone, have the commonality of being cities that drive the future growth of Korea. I hope that, through this sister city agreement, we can further increase exchange and cooperation, enhance the quality of life in both cities, and contribute to national development.”

Governor Goo Bokgyu also said, “Through this sister city agreement, let us work together to promote exchange in culture, tourism, and history, and leverage the strengths of both cities for mutual development.”