Chungcheongnam-do

▲On November 25, 2020, the Governor of Chungnam province, Yang Seung-jo, and the Governor of West Java, Indonesia, Mochamad Ridwan Kamil, talked online before signing an MOU for cooperation and exchange.

Chungnam province is stepping up public diplomacy efforts despite the protracted COVID-19 crisis.

The province will hold a video content contest, in which residents of both provinces can participate to commemorate the signing of the MOU for friendship and cooperation Chungnam province signed with West Java, Indonesia last November.

This year, Chungnam seeks to establish a new relationship with Manama, Bahrain for cooperation and exchange in health and medical services, which is in line with the national government’s diplomatic and trade policies.

It has supported Korean language and culture education projects for the descendants of Koreans on Sakhalin Island, Russia.

Chungnam aims to enhance the identity of Koreans living in Northern Asia through the expansion of educational projects in Central Asia and China.

The province will carry out a Korea-China independence movement history sharing project on the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations.

Furthermore, it will explore a breakthrough in Korea-Japan relations through the continued expansion of youth exchange, focused on K-pop following last year’s success.

Hong Man-pyo, Director of International Trade Division of the provincial government said, “Amid the protracted COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainties in the world, Chungnam province will continue extending its diplomatic horizons into Europe and the Americas as well as Southern and Northern Asia, utilizing the strong performance in digital public diplomacy and the knowhow achieved last year.

Meanwhile, the province was selected as an exemplary case of public diplomacy for three consecutive years, since 2019, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Chungnam province was presented with a Collaboration Award in recognition of its performance in public diplomacy from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last year.

Besides, Chungnam province was awarded for its contribution to the internationalization of local governments from the Governors Association of Korea, proving that it is the best local government for international exchange.

The province signed an MOU for friendship and exchanges with West Java, Indonesia, the ASEAN member country with the largest economy, to promote policy and diplomacy in Southern Asian countries.

Chungnam province established a base for new cooperation in the Russian Far East by holding events for Koreans who returned to Korea after having lived there.

The province expanded exchange with Central Asian countries, such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, creating new diplomatic momentum toward Central Asian countries.

The provincial government official added, “Last year, Chungnam province installed the Northern Asia Exchange Team and Southern Asia Exchanges Team and opened a trade office in Indonesia in tandem with changes in the world, and our success is attributed to the invitation of private sector capabilities when we organized the ‘regional economic, diplomatic strategy.’

International Planning Team, International Trade Division

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