Gyeonggi Province Governor Initiates Attraction of Chinese Tourists

○ Gyeonggi Province Governor Dong Yeon Kim held the "Gyeonggi Province-Liaoning Province Tourism Cooperation Exchange Meeting" ...

○ Gyeonggi Province Governor Dong Yeon Kim held the "Gyeonggi Province-Liaoning Province Tourism Cooperation Exchange Meeting" on October 31.
- Engaged in activities to attract Chinese tourists as group tourism resumes
○ Governor Kim expressed expectations for Chinese tourists from Liaoning Province to visit South Korea and Gyeonggi Province, stating that Gyeonggi Province is a place where the past and present of South Korea coexist.

Gyeonggi Province Governor Dong Yeon Kim, who is visiting China in order to develop bilateral relations and enhance inter-regional government exchanges, embarked on the attraction of Chinese tourists.

On the morning of October 31, Governor Kim held the "Gyeonggi Province-Liaoning Province Tourism Cooperation Exchange Meeting" at the Shangri-La Hotel in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, together with Jo Won-yong, the president of the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, and Jin Guowei, Deputy Governor of Liaoning Province.

The recent resumption of Chinese group tourism served as the backdrop for this meeting, which was geared to activate tourism exchanges between the two regions. It included the introduction of Gyeonggi Province and Liaoning Province tourism content as well as business consultations between representatives of the Liaoning Province travel industry and the Gyeonggi Province tourism industry. This joint tourism meeting between Gyeonggi Province and Liaoning Province is the first of its kind.

At the event, 28 representatives from 18 companies in Gyeonggi Province, including Everland Resort and the Korean Folk Village, and 92 representatives from 59 companies in Liaoning Province, including the Yoyang International Travel Agency and the Shenyang Overseas International Travel Agency, participated in business consultations.

Governor Kim remarked, "During my first visit to Liaoning Province, I was very surprised to find delicious food similar to that of Korea just a 90-minute flight away." He further stated, "With the opportunities realized through this tourism exchange meeting, I hope that more tourists from Liaoning Province and Gyeonggi Province will reciprocate visits."

He added, "Gyeonggi Province, which is home to numerous global companies as well as 5,000 years of cultural heritage, is a place where the past and present of South Korea coexist… We look forward to receiving Chinese tourists from Liaoning Province in Korea and Gyeonggi Province. I hope that today's joint exchange meeting will be the starting point for mutual cooperation, promising another 30 years of partnership."

Deputy Governor Jin Guowei stated, "The tourism industry, unlike other industries, is a field where results can be seen immediately. It is our goal for Liaoning Province to attract tourists at pre-pandemic levels,” adding, “Liaoning Province also has abundant tourism resources. In commemoration of the 30th anniversary (of Gyeonggi-Liaoning sisterhood relations), we will prioritize cooperation with Gyeonggi Province in the future."

Looking forward to the next 50 years, it is essential for Gyeonggi Province and Liaoning Province to realize a relationship that brings happiness to the people of both countries.

Governor Kim, who visited China to enhance the development of bilateral relations and inter-regional government exchanges, has pledged to strengthen comprehensive cooperation in the fields of economy, tourism, culture, and personnel exchanges with Liaoning Province.

In the evening of the same day, Governor Kim signed the "Joint Declaration on the 30th Anniversary of Sisterhood" with Hao Feng, Secretary of the Liaoning Provincial Party Committee, and Li Lecheng, Governor of Liaoning Province, in Yingbin Hall of the Liaoning Provincial Government.

The joint declaration between Gyeonggi and Liaoning outlines the expansion of cooperation in four areas: economy and trade, tourism, culture, and future generations. In the economic field, the two sides agreed to expand trade, investment, and business exchanges, with a visit by a Liaoning Province business delegation to Gyeonggi Province in November slated for meetings with businesses and economic agencies of Gyeonggi Province. In the tourism field, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the tourism industry, with Gyeonggi Province looking forward to visits by Liaoning Province tourists during the "2023-24 Year of Visiting Korea." In the cultural field, the two sides agreed to promote exchanges between representative museums of Gyeonggi Province and Liaoning Province, introducing each region's rich cultural heritage to the other. Regarding the development of future generations, the two sides agreed to expand education, sports, and exchanges for youths and adolescents.

Following the signing of the joint declaration, a cultural exchange agreement between the Gyeonggi Provincial Museum and the Liaoning Provincial Museum was also signed. Kim Ki-seop, director of the Gyeonggi Provincial Museum, and Wang Xiaowen, director of the Liaoning Provincial Museum, agreed facilitate the promotion of friendship between the two regions through activities such as exhibition exchanges between the two museums as well as the joint hosting of international academic conferences, seminars, and symposiums.

On the morning of October 31, prior the Liaoning Province meeting, Governor Kim visited Siasun, the largest industrial robot and automation company in China, to observe the current status of the Chinese robotics industry and explore means for inter-regional cooperation in related industries.

A company representative explained that Siasun, which has over 4,000 employees, holds more than 1,300 patents and produces robots for logistics automation, medical applications, and semiconductor production. After observing the facility, Governor Kim said, "The facility is very impressive. I hope that there will be cooperation in the fields of semiconductors, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence with Korea."

As the first event during his visit to China, on the evening of October 30, Governor Kim met with representatives from eight Korean companies operating in Shenyang, including POSCO-CLPC, CJ Bio, and Shinhan Bank, to discuss views on South Korea-China economic cooperation and listen to the difficulties faced by the companies.

During the meeting, Kim took on the role of an envoy, asking for suggestions on any difficulties in business operations for his upcoming meeting with the Liaoning provincial leadership. In response, the business representatives said that the annual "Korea Week" event in Shenyang is very helpful to them and suggested Gyeonggi Province's support and participation.

Governor Kim remarked, "I am pleased that Liaoning Province seems to have a strong willingness to strengthen cooperation with Gyeonggi Province. Liaoning Province is a symbolic place that holds significant meaning, and its influence also extends to other sister and partner regions in China. I will take care of the Korea Week event and other matters."