Dinesh Sri Lanka Prime Minister "Nationwide Promotion of Saemaeul Undong"... Visit to Gyeongbuk Province

Governor Lee Cheol-woo "Active Support"

Saemaeul Project Started 10 Years Ago

On the afternoon of the 3rd, Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, held an in-depth discussion with Dinesh Gunawardena, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, in the provincial government reception room regarding various mutual cooperation measures between the two countries, including the Saemaul Undong (New Village Movement).

Dinesh Gunawardena, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, made an official visit to Korea last May in response to an invitation from the Governor of Gyeongbuk Province.

Dinesh, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (left), is visiting Gyeongbuk Province and shaking hands with Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk, promising mutual cooperation.

During this visit, attended by key government officials of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister highly praised the Saemaul Undong of Gyeongbuk Province and expressed his intention to expand the implementation of the Saemaul Undong in his own country.

From the 3rd for two days, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister will visit SK Bioscience's Andong plant, followed by the Vaccine Commercialization Technology Support Center, and then participate in a commemorative tree planting, an official meeting with the governor, and a welcome dinner in Gyeongbuk Province.

Sri Lanka is a key gateway in the Indian Ocean and a central hub for maritime logistics. It is an island nation famous for its gems and Ceylon tea.

Since gaining independence in 1948, after ending a 26-year-long civil war, Sri Lanka has achieved an average annual economic growth rate of around 6%. It is an agricultural country blessed with beautiful natural scenery and a diverse culture blending Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. In 2022, Sri Lanka declared a national default due to domestic and international reasons including COVID-19, but has since regained stability through the Saemaul Undong and continuous fiscal and institutional reforms as part of national innovation.

Prime Minister Dinesh of Sri Lanka stated, “As a strong supporter of the Saemaul Undong, we established a dedicated Saemaul department within the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs last year. We deeply appreciate the interest and support from Korea and Gyeongbuk Province,” adding, “Based on the successful experience of the Saemaul Undong created in small rural villages in Sri Lanka, we will spread the spirit of the Saemaul Undong nationwide.”

Sri Lanka is promoting the ‘New Village, New Country’ project and established a Saemaul department in the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs in January 2023, benchmarking the Saemaul Undong as a national transformation project.

Governor Lee Cheol-woo of Gyeongbuk Province said, “Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea are countries that have faced similar hardships such as war and IMF bailout. We are well aware that Sri Lankan workers are making great efforts in various sectors of our industry,” and added, “I hope that this gratitude is well conveyed through the Saemaul Undong, Korean culture, and digital technology, which are the driving forces of Korea’s modernization.”

The governor continued, “I expect that Korea’s advanced digital technology and the Saemaul Undong will lead to talent development and agricultural innovation in Sri Lanka, fostering regional development and ultimately bringing prosperity and a rich future to Sri Lanka,” emphasizing, “Gyeongbuk Province will actively support Sri Lanka’s success.”

In response, Prime Minister Dinesh said, “Over the past 10 years, Gyeongbuk Province has transferred the Saemaul Undong to Sri Lanka, improving the Sri Lankan economy year by year, and Korea has become one of the most desirable countries for Sri Lankan people to work in.”

He also expressed gratitude, saying, “Thanks to Gyeongbuk Province serving as a window to Korea, our youth are working in Korean industrial sites, greatly contributing to the economic development of both countries, and the two countries are communicating in diverse ways through Korean food (K-food), Korean music (K-pop), and more.”

Since 2014, Gyeongbuk Province has been conducting pilot Saemaul village projects at the village level in Sri Lanka. Marking the 10th anniversary this year, it has declared this year as the first year of the Saemaul Great Transformation and is jointly promoting digital Saemaul projects and national transformation projects with the central government of Sri Lanka.

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