Jeonbuk Province Signs Friendship and Cooperation Agreement with Russia's Primorsky Krai

Published 23 Dec.2021 11:11(KST)

Promoting Focused Exchanges in Agriculture, Culture, Taekwondo, and Energy Sectors

Jeonbuk Province Signs Friendship and Cooperation Agreement with Russia's Primorsky Krai

[Jeonju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Han-ho] Jeonbuk Province announced on the 23rd that it will sign a friendship agreement with Primorsky Kray, Russia, a key region of the government's New Northern Policy, and will promote practical exchanges.

On the same day, Jeonbuk Province signed an online friendship exchange agreement with Primorsky Kray, which has been promoting exchanges for about two years since signing a letter of intent for exchange in 2019, in the presence of Governor Song Ha-jin and Primorsky Kray Governor Oleg Kozhemyako. The agreement covers cooperation in administration, economy, culture, sports, tourism, and other areas.

Primorsky Kray, home to the administrative hub Vladivostok, is a central region of the New Northern Policy and a geographical key point connecting South Korea, North Korea, China, and Russia. It is a rapidly developing area, especially in trade and tourism.

As part of the New Northern Policy, which is promoted with nine keywords including 'natural gas,' 'agriculture,' 'fisheries,' and 'energy recycling,' a Korea-Russia economic cooperation industrial complex is being established in Primorsky Kray, making it a region expected to expand industrial infrastructure cooperation.

Jeonbuk Province and Primorsky Kray agreed to focus exchanges on agriculture, cultural tourism, energy, and economic sectors through this agreement.

First, they plan to hold seminars among institutions, schools, and companies in the agricultural sector, a common interest, and especially mutually invite local companies and experts to their representative agricultural expos (Dara Agro Agricultural Expo, Fermented Food Expo). In tourism, they plan to consider attending the Pacific International Tourism Expo (PITE) held in Primorsky Kray.

In the cultural field, since both regions are cultural cities representing their countries, they agreed to promote mutual performance exchanges between the Jeonju World Sori Festival and the Primorsky Kray Mariinsky Theater, and also to promote Taekwondo exchanges between the two regions.

For regional economic cooperation, they will establish a cooperative system between the Primorsky Kray Chamber of Commerce and Jeonbuk Province to promote economic exchanges such as cooperation between startup companies.

In particular, Jeonbuk Province will also promote projects to enhance the rights and identity of about 20,000 Koryo-saram (ethnic Koreans) residing in Primorsky Kray.

Jeonbuk Province plans to support the identity establishment of Koryo-saram by promoting traditional culture dissemination projects such as teaching Korean language, Korean dance, Korean cuisine, and Hanji (traditional Korean paper) to those who want to learn Korean culture, while actively utilizing this to promote Jeonbuk's excellent traditional culture and international exchanges between the two regions.

Governor Song Ha-jin said, “Primorsky Kray is the most important strategic key point of the government's New Northern Policy and a region with high potential for mutual development through exchanges in agriculture, energy, cultural tourism, and Taekwondo between the two regions.” He expressed expectations, saying, “With this agreement, exchanges among various fields and various social groups will take place, and we will promote Korea-Russia local diplomacy that Jeonbuk residents can actually feel.”