Establishment General Assembly of the National Si-Gun-Gu Inter-Korean Exchange Cooperation Forum for Korean Peninsula Peace and Urban Exchange Activation

On the 16th, 38 local governments nationwide gathered for the inaugural general meeting of the National Si-Gun-Gu Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Forum... Amendment of the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act positions local governments as key players, becoming a catalyst for opening a new era of peace on the Korean Peninsula

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jeong Won-oh) held the inaugural general meeting of the National Si/Gun/Gu Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Forum (Preparatory Chairman Jeong Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu) on the 16th at Sowol Art Hall.

The inaugural general meeting, held both online and offline, was rapidly organized through four preparatory committee meetings since January this year by heads of basic local governments who hope for the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula and the revitalization of inter-city exchanges with the North.

With the recent enforcement of the revised Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act on March 9, which was amended in December last year, basic local governments have been recognized as key agents in promoting inter-Korean exchanges.

Accordingly, the forum aims to discover inter-Korean exchange policy tasks at the national Si/Gun/Gu level and establish a policy consultation body to build cooperative relationships nationwide. It plans to promote the discovery of inter-city exchange projects and the selection of joint projects between North and South cities in the future.

The forum’s inaugural general meeting was organized with Jeong Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, as the preparatory chairman, Kim Byeong-nae, Mayor of Nam-gu, Gwangju, as the secretary-general, and 10 local government heads participating as preparatory committee members. Currently, including the preparatory committee, 38 basic local government heads nationwide have joined the forum.

In addition to the 38 local governments, special guests such as Im Jong-seok, Presidential Special Advisor for Foreign Affairs and Security, and Seo Ho, Vice Minister of Unification, participated in the inaugural general meeting. A unification talk was held with the local government heads and Im Jong-seok to build the inter-Korean peace process.

Through the forum, Yeom Tae-young, Mayor of Suwon, was elected as the standing representative, along with Jeong Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, and Hwang Myung-seon, Mayor of Nonsan, as co-representatives, and Kim Byeong-nae, Mayor of Nam-gu, Gwangju, as secretary-general.

The National Si/Gun/Gu Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Forum was founded with the purpose of contributing to peace on the Korean Peninsula and becoming a leading force in peaceful exchanges between North and South cities. The participating local government heads expressed their intention to prepare inter-city exchange and cooperation projects tailored to regional characteristics through regular meetings for research and discussion.

A forum official stated, "We expect that the formation of this forum and the holding of the inaugural general meeting will greatly contribute to overcoming the severe inter-Korean stagnation caused by the collapse of the 2019 Hanoi North Korea-US Summit, the spread of COVID-19, and the complex international situation."

Im Jong-seok, Presidential Special Advisor for Foreign Affairs and Security, emphasized, “Inter-Korean exchange and cooperation should be able to continue with relatively less influence from international circumstances or relations between the central governments of the North and South. There is a need for a government operation principle that actively supports and advises autonomous exchange and cooperation.”

Yeom Tae-young, the forum’s standing representative, said, “This inter-Korean exchange and cooperation will play a significant role in accelerating the path to unification and will be an important opportunity to rapidly transform the North and South into an emotional, cultural, and economic community.”

Jeong Won-oh, the forum’s preparatory chairman, stated, “I consider it very meaningful that the forum was organized at a time when it has become possible to strengthen the exchange and cooperation system at the local government level and revitalize exchanges between North and South cities. Starting with the inaugural general meeting, I hope our forum can be a catalyst for an era of coexistence, prosperity, and peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.