Gyeongnam Province and South Moravia, Czech Republic, Forge Closer Ties ... Establish 'Friendship Agreement'

Gyeongsangnam-do has decided to further strengthen its exchange and cooperation with South Moravian Region in the Czech Republic, with which it has maintained a friendly relationship, through the signing of a friendship agreement.

The Gyeongsangnam-do delegation, led by Governor Park Wansu, embarked on a business trip to Eastern Europe and signed the friendship agreement with South Moravian Region in the Czech Republic at around 5 p.m. local time on the 29th (Korean time).

Governor Park Wansu of Gyeongnam Province and Jan Grolich, Governor of South Moravia, are holding up the friendship agreement together.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

Governor Park said, "The Republic of Korea and the Czech Republic are strategic partners and have maintained cooperative relations in many key fields. In particular, both Gyeongsangnam-do and South Moravian Region are home to a concentration of various industries, including manufacturing, and are proud of their history and culture. I believe that today's friendship agreement will further promote mutual understanding and cooperation between the two regions."

Governor Jan Grolich stated, "As exchanges between the Czech Republic and Korea have become more active in various fields recently, I hope that the signing of this agreement will serve as an opportunity to further strengthen and develop exchanges between our two regions."

South Moravian Region in the Czech Republic is a hub for various industries, including manufacturing, engineering, automotive, machinery, and electronics, which are also the main industries of Gyeongsangnam-do.

It is also a cultural center, being the hometown of world-renowned artists such as Alphonse Mucha and Milan Kundera, and is home to UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape and the Villa Tugendhat in Brno.

Officials from Gyeongsangnam-do and South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic are discussing their friendship alliance.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

Gyeongsangnam-do and the Czech Republic began exchanges in 2015 with the visit of the Czech Prime Minister, and have maintained a relationship of trust for the past 10 years.

On this day, the province elevated its relationship with South Moravian Region from "friendly exchange," which is a stage of mutual cooperation, to "friendship agreement," which is the highest level under Gyeongsangnam-do's ordinance on public diplomacy and international exchange and cooperation.

Through this, the province plans to promote mutual development and further solidify practical cooperation in broader fields such as culture, arts, sports, and economy.

In line with the government's policy of strengthening Korea-Czech cooperation, the province also plans to revitalize the local economy by facilitating exchanges of human and material resources in various sectors, including local governments, the private sector, academia, and research institutions.

Afterwards, the Gyeongsangnam-do delegation will visit dementia care and welfare nursing support facilities in Prague, Czech Republic, to observe the country's welfare and care system. They will also promote Gyeongsangnam-do's defense industry at the Minsk Air Base, which houses the Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) Poland base office, and participate in the International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) 2024 in Poland, before returning to Korea on September 5.

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