On August 5, Secretary-General LIM Byung-jin welcomed a delegation led by DA Zhigang, a second-level researcher from the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences (former director of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies), during their visit to the NEAR Secretariat. The purpose of the visit was to engage in discussions and exchange perspectives on mutual cooperation.

Mr. Lim expressed his sincere gratitude to the Heilongjiang Academy of Social Sciences for its proactive support of NEAR activities. He acknowledged their commitment, including the placement of a resident officer at the Secretariat since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for mutual cooperation with NEAR in 2016. Additionally, Mr. Lim conveyed his aspirations for enhanced collaboration, extending an invitation to the Heilongjiang Academy of Social Sciences to participate in the upcoming NEAR International Forum, scheduled to take place in December. He also proposed the idea of organizing joint events involving think tanks from the Northeast Asia region in the future.

Dr. Da expressed a deep appreciation for NEAR's role in fostering peaceful development and multilateral cooperation among local governments in Northeast Asia. He conveyed gratitude for the invitation to the NEAR International Forum and affirmed his commitment to supporting NEAR's continued growth. Dr. Da also expressed a willingness to explore opportunities for collaboration among think tanks in Northeast Asia through the framework of the Northeast Asia Think Tank Network, established by the Heilongjiang Academy of Social Sciences.

The meeting was attended by two representatives from the Heilongjiang Academy of Social Sciences: ZHONG Jianping, director of the Institute of Russian Studies, and DU Ying, deputy director of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies. The NEAR Secretariat was represented by four individuals, including CHOI Ju-hwa, director of the International Cooperation Department.