First UCLG President from the Asia-Pacific Region
Assumes Presidency at UCLG World Executive Bureau Meeting in Xi'an, China
Lee Jangwoo, Mayor of Daejeon, officially assumed the position of President of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) on October 17.
On this day, Mayor Lee attended the UCLG World Executive Bureau meeting held at the Xi'an International Convention Center in China and received the presidency from Jan Van Zanen, Mayor of The Hague, Netherlands.
The United Cities and Local Governments is the largest international organization of local governments, consisting of over 240,000 local governments and 175 local government associations from 140 countries. The President represents all global members, presides over discussions on global issues, and coordinates joint initiatives.
Having been elected as part of the presidential committee alongside the mayors of Montevideo (Uruguay), Konya (T?rkiye), and The Hague (Netherlands) at the 2022 UCLG Daejeon World Congress, Mayor Lee will now lead UCLG as the sole President until the 2026 Congress.
Over the past three years, Daejeon City has actively utilized the UCLG network, signing friendship and cooperation agreements with each of the presidential committee cities. In July, the city visited The Hague to discuss practical ways to enhance exchanges.
As the first President of UCLG from the Asia-Pacific region, Mayor Lee plans to use this role as a key stepping stone for Daejeon to become a “world-class city.”
He aims to leverage Daejeon's strengths in science and technology leadership to drive the global urban agenda and to spread the city’s innovative policies worldwide, thereby solidifying Daejeon's brand as the “Science Capital.”
In particular, the city intends to actively share leading examples such as: ▲ urban transportation innovation centered on the Line 2 tram, ▲ experience in fostering future strategic industries, and ▲ advanced disaster response systems incorporating cutting-edge science and technology. Through these efforts, Daejeon seeks to contribute to addressing global challenges such as digital transformation, climate change, and sustainable development, while enhancing its international standing.
Mayor Lee stated, “I still vividly remember the moment in 2022 when we adopted the Daejeon Declaration, ‘A Promise for the Future,’ in Daejeon. As President of UCLG, I will do my utmost to ensure that my leadership becomes a source of pride for citizens and an opportunity for Daejeon to take another leap forward.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Lee also serves as President of the Global Innovation Network of Intelligent Cities (GINI). Daejeon City plans to expand its global status and urban influence by pursuing comprehensive cooperation through UCLG and practical partnerships with leading cities through GINI.
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