Secretary-General LIM Byung-jin visited Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Office on February 2 and met with Governor LEE Cheol-woo. Secretary-General Lim expressed gratitude for Gyeongsangbuk-do Province’s active support, such as financially assisting with the operating expenses of the Secretariat and seconding government officials and asked for its continued interest and support. 

NEAR has grown significantly over the last 27 years. when it comes to the external development, but there are issues to be resolved, such as passive participation of some members in the activities of NEAR including the General Assembly unlike the earlier days, lack of leading events that may attract members, and problems regarding the legal status of the Secretariat.

Secretary-General Lim asked Governor Lee for interest and active assistance so that the successful hosting of the NEAR General Assembly scheduled to be held this October and NEAR’s  30^th anniversary will help NEAR become a representative international organization for exchange and cooperation among local governments in Northeast Asia. 

In response, Governor Lee, chairman of the Governors Association of the Republic of Korea visited Tokyo, Japan and met with HIRAI Shinji, chairman of the National Governors’ Association of Japan and governor of Tottori Prefecture. He introduced that they agreed to hold the Conference hosted by the Korea-Japan Governors Association, which had been suspended over the last six years.

Moreover, Governor Lee spoke highly of NEAR as a very important platform promoting exchange and joint development of local governments of six Northeast Asian countries.

Also, Mr. Lee added that he would encourage Korean NEAR member regional governments to participate in the NEAR General Assembly scheduled to be held in Ulsan Metropolitan City this October and support NEAR actively so as to become a globally known multilateral international organization consisting of six countries.