Governor Kim and Governor McDonnell affirm friendship and business support

– Virginia delegation visits Gyeonggi Province for discussions and business meetings
– Korean traditional music and martial arts fascinate the delegation

Gyeonggi Province hosted a welcoming reception for delegation from its sister region, the Commonwealth of Virginia (head: Governor Robert F. McDonnell), at the Gyeonggi Small Business Center in the Gwanggyo Techono Valley of eastern Suwon City on May 16th at 7 P.M. The delegation from Virginia consisted of 40 members, and one of the purposes of their visit was to reciprocate a visit made by a delegation from Gyeonggi Province to Virginia last September.

Both sides participated in meetingsfor investment inducement with the heads of related organizations, and meetings with the delegation’s business representatives will help foster exchange and cooperation.  Gyeonggi and Virginia agreed to continuously pursue the strengthening of cooperation between businesses and to expand trade relations. 

Of particular note, they discussed cooperation in the fields of IT, biotechnology and nanotechnology through the world-renowned Virginia Tech and other U.S. universities as well as through global businesses and institutes.

Both sides also discussed the reciprocal dispatch of industrial/education-related research teams to identify possible areas for scientific and technological cooperation as well as the timely implementation of action plans. With international joint research and commercializing technology transfer, the competitiveness of Gyeonggi Province’s small and medium-sized enterprises can be significantly advanced.

The Virginia delegation also included 20 leaders of Korea-related associations as well as Korean-American business representatives.  This visit provided them with the opportunity to see first-hand how Korea has developed.   

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province organized a tour of Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and impressed the delegates with performances of Korean traditional music and a martial arts display by Taejang High School students before the reception. This event affirmed the relationship between the two regions while promoting the tourism assets of Gyeonggi Province.

A provincial official said, “Gyeonggi Province and Virginia have had a sisterhood relationship since April of 1997, and we have reciprocated visits continuously. We look forward to developing a practical cooperation environment as well as solidifying exchange and cooperation through the visit by Virginia.”

Inquiries: International Affairs & Trade Division 8008-2176

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