Pohang, Ulsan, and Gyeongju Discuss Strengthening Ultra-Wide-Area Cooperation at Haeoreum Alliance Regular Meeting

Strengthened Joint Efforts on Yeongil Bay Bridge, Hydrogen Megacity, and Secondary Battery Projects
New Initiatives Launched Including Agricultural and Livestock Product Exchange and Shared Public Parking Lots

On May 7, the city of Pohang attended the "2026 First Half Haeoreum Alliance Win-Win Cooperation Council Regular Meeting" held at the Gyeongju Hilton Hotel, where representatives discussed key issues among the three cities and the direction for promoting joint cooperation projects.

The meeting was attended by Jang Sanggil, Acting Mayor of Pohang, Seo Namgyo, Acting Mayor of Ulsan, Choi Hyukjun, Acting Mayor of Gyeongju, as well as heads of relevant departments from the three cities, totaling more than 20 participants.

During the regular meeting, major agenda items were presented, including the 2025 cost-sharing settlement, the 2026 urban development implementation plan, and plans for the 10th anniversary event of the Haeoreum Alliance. Further discussions were held on the development direction of the Haeoreum Alliance and ways to strengthen the ultra-wide-area cooperation system.

In particular, the three cities of Pohang, Ulsan, and Gyeongju reviewed the progress of 45 joint projects across five core areas: economy & industry & maritime, urban infrastructure, culture & tourism, disaster prevention & safety, and institutions. They also agreed to strengthen their response to key cooperative projects.

Key projects included the establishment of the Haeoreum Alliance Global Secondary Battery Hub, the creation of a Global Hydrogen Megacity, construction of the Yeongil Bay Crossing Section (Yeongil Bay Bridge), and the development of the Pan-East Sea Marine Tourism Line.

In addition, new projects for this year will include the exchange and sale of local agricultural and livestock products within the Haeoreum Alliance, shared use of public parking lots in the Haeoreum region, the Haeoreum National Heritage Night Tour Project, and the Haeoreum region couple matching project, all of which are cooperative initiatives designed for citizens to directly experience the benefits.

Jang Sanggil, Acting Mayor of Pohang, stated, "The Haeoreum Alliance is a representative case of ultra-wide-area cooperation that leads the era of local governments," adding, "We will continue to strengthen cooperation so that the projects discussed at this regular meeting can deliver tangible results for our citizens."

Meanwhile, the Haeoreum Alliance is a win-win cooperation body launched in 2016 through an agreement among the three cities of Pohang, Ulsan, and Gyeongju to jointly promote development in the economic, cultural, and social sectors.

Since then, through regular meetings, the alliance has jointly responded to regional issues and has established itself as a leading ultra-wide-area cooperation model in the southeastern region.

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