Busan is good

A municipal friendship for the ages: Busan and Fukuoka

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Two cities hope to create a new model for metropolitan exchange in Northeast Asia

The “2009 Busan-Fukuoka Friendship Year” celebration held on Sept. 20 in Fukuoka, Japan, highlighted the strong ties between the two cities, which have conducted exchanges for the last 20 years. And those ties are getting stronger. Busan Mayor Hur Nam-sik and Fukuoka Mayor Yoshida Hiroshi were there to express their support for a super-metropolitan economic zone. They emphasized the need for more than exchange as the cities strive to create a “community without borders.”

Fukuoka, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of its partnership with Busan, named Sept. 20 “Busan Day.” 

Nishijin Elementary School students, who come to Korea each year as part of a homestay program, took the stage. A girl introduced herself in Korean and sang “You and I” in Japanese and Korean, receiving a round of applause. Each city’s office of education and the Education, Science & Technology Committee produced a booklet, “Busan and Fukuoka: Places You Want to Know More About,” for elementary schoolers. Even the post offices from the cities collaborated on a commemorative stamp. Two cities now operate exchange programs in culture, tourism, sports and education. They recently concluded an MOU for administrative and educational cooperation, became sister cities and entered into an exchange agreement that involves two professional baseball teams. This year, exchanges continued despite the flagging economy and new flu, with a deal recently inked between The Federation of Artist and Cultural Organization of Korea, Busan Branch and the Fukuoka Culture Organization.

By carrying out plans for a super-metropolitan economic zone, Busan and Fukuoka will become the center of attention in all of northeast Asia.

The source of news : Dynamic Busan