Shin Sang-jin, the mayor of Seongnam, stated, "We will actively examine excellent urban innovation cases in Europe to enhance Seongnam's future growth and urban competitiveness."
Mayor Shin is embarking on a sales diplomacy mission in Europe to support Seongnam companies' entry into overseas markets and strengthen their competitiveness in future industries.
From October 8 to 18, Mayor Shin will visit Poland and Italy to expand cooperative relationships with major European cities, assist local defense and high-tech companies in exploring overseas markets, and seek ways to incorporate advanced cases of urban regeneration and innovation industries into Seongnam's future policies.
This European visit is focused not merely on friendly exchanges between cities but on connecting international exchanges to corporate overseas expansion and industrial cooperation, thereby enhancing Seongnam's global competitiveness.
The delegation led by Mayor Shin will first visit Wroclaw, Poland.
On October 9, they will sign a sister city agreement with Wroclaw and plan to expand cooperation projects in various fields, including economy, industry, and culture.
Notably, on this day, Mayor Shin will hold a local export consultation meeting involving ten defense and high-tech companies from Seongnam, directly connecting them with Polish defense-related institutions and businesses.
Mayor Shin aims to enhance the potential for European market entry and discover practical export opportunities through local consultations and exchanges.
A memorandum of understanding will also be pursued between the Seongnam Industrial Promotion Agency and the Polish Defense Industry Association (PCNDM).
This initiative seeks to expand exchanges between companies in both regions and establish a sustainable cooperation system in the defense sector, moving beyond one-time export consultations to long-term corporate support.
Mayor Shin will also attend the opening ceremony of 'Korea Day,' which is being held for the first time in Poland to mark the 37th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Poland.
As the only local government from South Korea participating, Seongnam will expand exchanges between the two countries not only in the economic and industrial sectors but also in culture through performances by the Seongnam Municipal Gugak Orchestra.
In Italy, the delegation will continue its focus on urban regeneration and future industries.
In Bergamo, they will examine the 'Chorus Life' project, which combines residential, commercial, cultural, and leisure functions as a case of urban regeneration and mixed-use development. In Milan, they will visit 'Porta Nuova,' a representative urban regeneration area that has transformed underutilized land into a space combining work, commerce, residence, culture, and green areas.
In particular, they will explore eco-friendly urban policies that harmonize high-density urban development with green spaces through urban parks like 'BAM' and vertical forests like 'Bosco Verticale,' seeking ways to enhance Seongnam's urban competitiveness and improve citizens' quality of life.
The final stop of the European visit will be Bologna, Italy.
On October 16, Mayor Shin will sign a sister city agreement with Bologna to strengthen cooperation in advanced industries and research and innovation.
Seongnam and Bologna have maintained a friendly cooperative relationship since 2015, and this sister city agreement aims to promote more systematic cooperation projects in the economic, industrial, and cultural sectors.
Most importantly, they will seek to connect Bologna's innovative ecosystem, which is active in advanced technology and industrial innovation centered around universities and research institutions, with Seongnam's advanced industrial base centered on Pangyo Techno Valley, expanding exchanges between companies and research institutions.
Mayor Shin plans to use this visit to expand the cooperation network with major European cities like Wroclaw and Bologna, linking it to tangible outcomes such as corporate overseas expansion, defense exports, advanced industry cooperation, and urban regeneration policy exchanges.
Citizens have expressed that this overseas trip should yield practical results for Seongnam companies and residents, rather than being merely a business trip or an expansion of sister city relationships. A resident, identified as Kim, stated, "The key is not just establishing sister city ties with overseas cities, but ensuring that Seongnam companies actually enter the European market and create jobs and investments. Given that Seongnam has many defense and high-tech companies, the mayor's direct efforts to explore overseas markets are significant."
Meanwhile, Mayor Shin Sang-jin emphasized, "This European visit will serve as an opportunity for Seongnam City to advance its cooperative relationships with major European cities and connect inter-city exchanges to practical outcomes in corporate overseas expansion and future industrial cooperation."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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