Goyang and Hakodate Take First Step in Youth-Led International Exchange

Youth Delegations from Both Cities Hold Video Conference
Laying the Foundation for Sustainable Exchange

Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Donghwan) announced on the 24th that it had successfully held the first official event of its youth-led international exchange project, an online video conference, together with Hakodate City, Japan, on the 22nd.

Goyang Special City held the first official schedule of the youth-led international exchange project, an online video conference, together with Hakodate City, Japan on the 22nd. Provided by Goyang Special City

This exchange was carried out without a separate budget, and is significant in that it presents a new model for sustainable international exchange by expanding the cooperative relationship, which has continued since the two cities established a sister-city partnership in 2011, to focus on the next generation-youth.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan, and next year will be the 15th anniversary of the sister-city partnership between the two cities. In this context, Goyang and Hakodate have been actively promoting a new type of exchange model, directly planned and participated in by young people, to strengthen the international capabilities of the youth and to solidify the foundation for long-term cooperation.

The video conference began with congratulatory video messages from the mayors of both cities, followed by a session where young participants introduced their cities and explained the purpose of the exchange. Through lively self-introductions and Q&A sessions among the participants, the youth were able to broaden their mutual understanding.

In the second part, participants watched an introduction video about 'Naeil Dream Factory,' a youth activity space in Goyang. The youth from both cities then shared common urban issues such as employment and regional revitalization, and discussed directions for sustainable exchange in the future.

An official from the Goyang Glocal Youth Group stated, "The experience of direct communication, where the youth of both cities learned about each other's history, culture, and urban environment, has become an opportunity to establish a long-term foundation for cooperation based on mutual understanding and respect. We hope this exchange will lead to joint projects, workshops, and reciprocal visits in the future."

A city official emphasized, "We plan to continue supporting the activities of the Glocal Youth Group to ensure their stable continuation. Through ongoing exchanges, we hope to receive many practical opinions and ideas that can be reflected in Goyang's youth policies."

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