Yuhuan promotes cross-border exchanges for civil servants

Chen Shichao, a civil servant from the air defense office of Yuhuan, a county-level city in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, will be dispatched to Dangjin city in South Korea to work for one year after a competitive two-month selection process.

Chen will be the fifth official to learn from the Korean city's experience in local governance.

"This is an invaluable opportunity for training and study," Chen said with excitement, adding that he will serve as a conduit for boosting cultural and educational exchanges between Yuhuan and Dangjin, and promote his homeland's folk culture among Korean people.

Dangjin and Yuhuan began the tradition of exchanging civil servants in 2012, when a delegation from Dangjin visited Yuhuan. Since the two cities established an official friendly relationship in 2015, the ties have become even closer.

As of today, nearly 20 exchange activities have been organized in different fields, exerting a positive influence on the economy, culture and administration of both cities.

An official from Yuhuan's organization department announced that the construction of Taizhou Bay is one of the city's main tasks, and considering Dangjin is a port city in South Korea, their civil servants will focus on the construction and operation of ports in the future.

"We hope our civil servants can foster a global vision and become more innovative during their stay in Dangjin," said the official.

Dangjin, located in the north of South Chungcheong province, is rich in ocean resources and cultural heritages. In addition to prosperous agriculture and fisheries, the city plays an important role in the country's manufacturing sector due to its large steel factories, such as Hyundai Steel.

"Both Dangjin and Yuhuan are coastal cities. Because they have some common ground, I hope the two cities can further expand bilateral exchanges and build a more comprehensive relationship," said Kim Hong-jang, mayor of Dangjin.