Activities

The 13th NEAR General Assembly

Date : August 10, 2021
Theme : “After 25 Years Together, into the Future We Go!”
Venue : POSCO International Center, Pohang City, Korea
Participants : 70 NEAR regional governments from five countries, one associate member and two observers
- Korea : 48 from 16 member regions
- Japan : 15 from 8 member regions; 2 from 1 observer
- Mongolia : 53 from 19 member regions
- Russia : 38 from 15 member regions; 3 from 1 observer
- Vietnam : Ho Chi Minh City (associate member): 3 from 1 associate region
Main Content
- Decision on selecting Ulsan Metropolitan City, South Korea, as the venue of the next General Assembly (Election of Chair Regional Government)
- New membership of Liaoning Province, China
  * The 13th NEAR General Assembly was postponed for one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was held in Pohang, paid for out of the NEAR Secretariat budget due to the special circumstances, taking into account that it was held online.

Hosting Two Rounds of the 2021 Secretariat Experience and Training Program for Local High School Students

Dates
- Third Round : Jan 11, 2021 - Jan 13, 2021
- Fourth Round : Jan 18, 2021 - Jan 20, 2021
Venue: NEAR Secretariat, Pohang-si, Republic of Korea
Number of Participants
- Third Round : 11
- Fourth Round : 6
Main Content
- Introduction of Roles and Functions Played by the NEAR Secretariat
- Lectures Given by Experts in Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian and Russian and Conversations with Seconded Government Officials from NEAR members
- Trip to the Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government Office and Andong Area

The Ninth NEAR Youth Art⋅Poster Contest

Period : April - December 2021
Type of Artwork : Drawing / Poster
Theme : “Northeast Asian Countries I Want to Travel After the COVID-19 Pandemic Is Over”
Eligibility : Youth aged 13 - 18 from one of the 77 NEAR member regions
Submissions : Total of 456 artworks (29 from Korea, 290 from China, 49 from Japan, 49, 17 from Mongolia, 71 from Russia)
Number of Awardees : 180
- First Place : 1
- Second Place : 4
- Participation Awards : 20
- Special Recognition Awards : 155

Exhibitions of Award-Winning Works from Five Northeast Asian Countries for the NEAR Youth Art⋅Poster Contest

Venues and Dates for Exhibitions
- 1st Ulsan Library : 2021.9.7. - 2021.9.17.
- 2nd Gimcheon Municipal Library : 2021.9.18. - 2021.10.1.
- 3rd Gyeongbuk Libarary : 2021.10.1. - 2021.10.16.
- 4th Chungnam Library : 2021.10.18. - 2021.10.29.

Holding Video Conference with “NEAR Youth Honorary Ambassadors” from the Republic of Sakha, Russia

Date : April 8, 2021
Number of Participants : three staff members from the NEAR Secretariat and two youths from the Republic of Sakha
Main Content : The NEAR Secretariat appointed two persons from “Intersfera” a public youth organization of the Republic of Sakha as NEAR Youth Honorary Ambassadors

Holding Video Conference Related to Liaoning Province, China, Joining NEAR

Date : April 12, 2021
Number of Participants : 12
- NEAR Secretariat : 6
- Foreign Affairs Office of Liaoning Province: 6
Main Content: Liaoning Province submitted an application for NEAR membership to the NEAR Secretariat and presented ways to cooperate between the organizations. In doing so, Liaoning Province became the 79th official NEAR member upon approval at the 13th General Assembly.

Participating in 「The 17th Krasnoyarsk Economic Forum of Russia」 Online

Date : April 14, 2021
Participants : over 8,000 offline participants and over 7,000 online participants from a total of 30 countries
Theme : “Economy and Pandemic: Russian Perspective”
Main Content : Five staff members from the NEAR Secretariat, including Secretary-General Kim Ok-chae, attended the main session of the forum online. In addition, investment contracts worth RUB 53.5 billion were signed at the forum for a total 20 projects in the fields of the infrastructure improvement of the mineral industry and the tourism and service industries.

Participating in the 14th General Assembly of the Northern Forum Hosted by Russia Online

Date : April 28, 2021
Participants : six NEAR member regions, six staff members from the NEAR Secretariat
Main Content : The chair region gave a presentation on the major activities of the Northern Forum. Also, representatives and experts of member regions reported on their activities and promoted their events to revitalize the Northern regions.

Appointing Promotional Ambassadors for the NEAR Secretariat and Meeting with Promotional Ambassadors

Date : May 10, 2021
Participants : three promotional ambassadors and all staff members of the NEAR Secretariat
Main Content : The NEAR Secretariat appointed promotional ambassadors to China and held a meeting with them in order to talk about NEAR’s roles in supporting the local governments of each country in their public diplomacy and ways to develop NEAR.

Delivering Congratulatory Video Message to the 12th Central China Investment and Trade Expo Hosted by Shanxi Province, China

Date : May 21, 2021 - May 23, 2021
Theme : “Opening-up and Cooperation” and “Transformation and Innovation”
Main Content : NEAR Secretary-General Kim Ok-chae stated, in his congratulatory message, that this Expo would contribute not only to the economic development of China’s central region, but also to common prosperity and peace in Northeast Asia.

Delivering Congratulatory Video Message to the Second Eurasian Women’s Forum Hosted by Kemerovo Region, Russia

Date : May 24, 2021 - May 25, 2021
Participants : over 2,000 offline participants and over 100,000 online participants from five countries
Main Content : The NEAR Secretary-General said, in his congratulatory video message, that there had been discussions on women’s enhanced roles in NEAR members, and that the forum would contribute to enhancing mutual understanding and trust between Northeast Asian regional governments hereafter.

Delivering Congratulatory Video Message to the Fifth China-Arab States Expo Hosted by Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China

Date : August 19, 2021 - August 21, 2021
Theme : “Joint Construction of the Belt and Road through Strengthened Cooperation in Economics and Trade”
Main Content : NEAR Secretary-General Kim Ok-chae stated, in his congratulatory message, that the expo would serve as a bridge connecting Northeast Asia and the Arab world. Mr. Kim’s message was also reported in the Ningxia Ribao, the Ningxia government newspaper, and on Sina.com, the largest Chinese-language web portal.

Delivering Congratulatory Video Message to the 2021 Taiyuan Energy Low Carbon Development Forum Hosted by Shanxi Province, China

Date : September 3, 2021 - September 4, 2021
Theme : “Energy, Climate, and Environment”
Main Content : The NEAR Secretary-General stated, in his contratulatory message, that Shanxi Province had made great efforts to buil a better future for humanity through carbon neutrality and green growth.

Delivering Congratulatory Video Mesage to the First China (Ningxia) International Wine Culture and Tourism Expo Hosted by Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China

Date : September 25, 2021 - September 27, 2021
Theme : “Chinese Wine that Surprises the World”
Main Content : NEAR Secretariat Kim Ok-chae congratulated Ningxia on its success in the global wine market and wished Ningxia further success in the future through the NEAR platform in his congratulatory message. Mr. Kim’s message was reported in China via the local press, including Guangming Daily and China Youth Daily.

Delivering Congratulatory Video Message to the Second Northeast Asia Cooperation Roundtable Hosted by Jilin Province, China

Date : September 22, 2021
Theme : “To Connect Market Resources and Jointly Build a Northeast Asia Maritime Economic Cooperation Community
Participants : more than 140 participants from six Northeast Asian countries including participants from Hamgyeongbuk-do Province and Rasun Special City, North Korea
Main Content : NEAR Secretary-General Kim Ok-chae delivered his congratulatory message, as a representative of one of the co-hosting organizations. Mr. Kim commended Jilin Province on its efforts to contribute to exchange and cooperation in Northeast Asia. His message was reported in China via the local press, including Xinhuanet and Jilin Daily.

Participating in the Third Korea-Russia Regional Cooperation Forum Hosted by Ulsan Metropolitan City, South Korea

Date : November 3, 2021 - November 5, 2021
Participants : among NEAR member regional governments, 12 South Korean regions, including Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, and five Russian regions, including Sakhalin Region
Main Content : The NEAR Secretariat arranged the bilateral summits between local governments on behalf of Korean member Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, and Russian members, including the Republic of Sakha, Sakhalin Region, and the Republic of Buryatia and provided interpretation services.

Providing Support for Associate Member Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in its Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Main Content : NEAR associate member Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, requested the NEAR Secretariat for support due to the surge in COVID-19 pandemic cases and difficulties in securing medicine and vaccines. In response, the NEAR Secretariat circulated the request to all member regional governments, and three South Korean members, including Chungcheongbuk-do Province, Gangwon-do Province, and Ulsan Metropolitan City expressed their intent to helpd and provided support.

◎ Publishing of the NEAR Annual Report 2021

Project Period : November 2020–February 2022
Number of Copies : 1,010 books (Korean/Chinese/Japanese/Russian/Mongolian/English)
Main Content
- NEAR’s major activities
- NEAR Secretariat’s major activities
- Cooperative activities of related organizations

Secretariat – Activities

Term: April 1, 2020–March 31, 2022
Number of Appointees: 40 people from 27 member regional governments of five countries
Appointment Method: Delivering letters of appointment from the Secretary General and business cards to individuals
Future Plans
- Inviting honorary ambassadors to the NEAR Secretariat to a briefing on the roles of honorary ambassadors, sharing experiences of individual promotion activities; discussion of public relations plans and ways to promote NEAR.

The Secretariat’s Experience⋅Training Program for Korean College Students

Period
- 1st Round: July 13–July 24, 2020
- 2nd Round: August 18–August 28, 2020
Number of Participants
- 1st Round: 11
- 2nd Round: 10
Major Activities
- Roles of NEAR Secretariat
- Listening to lectures by experts and discussions with seconded public officers
- Going on a field trip to Gyeongsangbuk-do Office and Andong City

Eighth NEAR Youth Art⋅Poster Contest

Duration of Event: April–December 2020
Area: Art / Poster
Theme: Culture of Northeast Asia, Future of Northeast Asia
Eligibility: youth (middle/high school students) from member regions
Number of Entries: 323 submissions (18 from South Korea, 105 from China, 22 from Japan, 132 from Russia, and 46 from Mongolia)
Number of Awardees: 146 (one Grand Award, four Excellence Awards, 15 Encouragement Awards, 126 Special Recognition Awards)

Hosting Exhibition for Award-winning Works of the NEAR Youth Art⋅Poster Contests from Five Northeast Asian Countries

Location and Period
- 1st Round (Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education Cultural Center): July 20–July 30, 2020
- 2nd Round (Gyeongsangbuk-do New Office): July 31–August 31, 2020
- 3rd Round (Pohang Hotel Art Fair): October 28–October 30, 2020

Publication of 2020 NEAR Annual Report

Duration of Work: November 2020–March 2021
Circulation: 1,010 copies published in six languages, Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and Mongolian
Main Content
- Major activities of the Secretariat
- Containing cooperative activities with related organizations and others

Online Participation in the International Forum Commemorating the First International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies

Date: September 7, 2020
Location: Seoul, the Republic of Korea (on/offline)
Theme: Clean Air and Climate Change Partnership for All
Participant Member: 22 members of five countries
- South Korea: 14 regional governments
- China: Anhui Province, Shaanxi Province
- Japan: Hyogo Prefecture
- Mongolia: Uvurkhangai Province
- Russia: Republic of Sakha, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Khabarovsk Territory, Primorsky Territory
Main Content
- Reading the inter-municipal joint declaration and the code of practice (by former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Governor of Chungcheongnam-do Province Yang Seung-jo, and NEAR Secretary General Kim Ok-chae)
- Sharing policies and best practices between regional governments in Northeast Asia
- Discussions with future generations at home and abroad

Participation in the International Video Conference Hosted by the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO) and the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS)

Date: August 5, 2020
Format: online
Participant: 72 participants from seven members of two countries
- South Korea: Chungcheongnam-do Province, Jeollanam-do Province, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
- China: Shaanxi Province, Shanxi Province, Shandong Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
Main Content
- Sharing the status of smart city projects and future methods of development for each country
- Introducing smart cities implemented in actual cities

NEAR Special Session in the Northern Forum Hosted by the Republic of Sakha, Russia

Date: September 28, 2020
Format: online
Theme: New Ways of International Cooperation Development in a Post-Pandemic World
Participant: 111 participants from 32 member regional governments of four countries
- South Korea: Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, Busan Metropolitan City, Sejong Special Self-Governing City, Daegu Metropolitan City, Daejeon Metropolitan City, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
- China: Anhui Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Hunan Province, Heilongjiang Province, Shanxi Province
- >Mongolia: Darkhan-Uul Province, Sukhbaatar Province, Uvs Province, Khovd Province, Khentii Province, Dornod Province
- Russia: Republic of Sakha, Altai Territory, Irkutsk Region, Kemerovo Region, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Republic of Buryatia, Republic of Khakassia, Tomsk Region, Khabarovsk Territory, Amur Region, Sakhalin Region, Kamchatka Territory
Main Content
- Welcoming speech/congratulatory remarks, presentations by representatives of member regions

Member Regional Governments Submit Works in the COVID-19 & HUMAN International Photo Exhibition Hosted by Jeju Province, South Korea

Duration of Event: September 18–October 11, 2020
Format: online
Theme: COVID-19 & HUMAN
Submission Member
- South Korea: Gwangju Metropolitan City, Busan Metropolitan City, Incheon Metropolitan City, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
- China: Shanxi Province (Xian)
- Mongolia: Dornogovi Province
- Russia: Magadan Region, Republic of Sakha, Republic of Khakassia

Participation in the 15th Jeju Forum for Peace & Prosperity

Period: November 5–November 7, 2020
Location: Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, the Republic of Korea (on/offline)
Participant: Director of the Department of International Cooperation and experts from the NEAR Secretariat
Theme: Reinventing Multilateral Cooperation: Pandemic and Humane Security
Main Content
- Diplomat Round Table – Changing Dynamics of Northeast Asia Multilateral Cooperation

Participation in the UN ESCAP ENEA

Date: October 22, 2020
Format: online
Participant: Director of the Department of International Cooperation and experts from the NEAR Secretariat
Theme: Inclusive Subregional Cooperation in East and North-East Asia for Sustainable Development
Main Content
- Session1: presentations on broad-based and inclusive subregional cooperation priorities
- Session2: discussions on strengthening institutional subregional cooperation mechanisms

Hosting the Conference of the Globalization of Regions in the Global Korea Convention 2020

Date: December 11, 2020
Location: Seoul, the Republic of Korea (on/offline)
Theme: Ways to Invigorate Exchange between Northeast Asia Regional Governments
Main Content
- NEAR Secretary General Kim Ok-chae’s opening remarks
- Governor of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province Lee Cheol-woo’s welcoming speech (read by Han Jae-sung, Director of the Division of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province)
- Themed Presentations
  - Kim Hyeong-soo, Professor at Dankook University: Ways to Invigorate Exchange Between Northeast Asian Regional Governments
  - Lee Seung-geun, Professor at Keimyung University: Ways to Invigorate Exchange Between Northeast Asian Regional Governments Based on the Realities of Exchange Between European Local Governments
- Discussions
  - Chair: NEAR Secretary General Kim Ok-chae
  - Discussant: former Korean ambassador to Brazil Koo Bon-woo, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy Suh Jin-kyo, Professor at Sungkonghoe University Yang Kee-ho, and Director of the Division of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province Han Jae-sung
- Results
  - The conference served as an opportunity to invite experts and devise ways to overcome the limitations of exchange and cooperation between Northeast Asian regional governments. Furthermore, the conference provided an opportunity to make practical developments at a time when international exchange has been suspended due to COVID-19.
  - About 400 people viewed the live broadcast in Korean and about 180 in English via YouTube

NEAR Working-level Workshop 2019

Date : Wednesday, April 24 to Friday, April 26, 2019
Venue : Gyeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea
NNumber of Participants : approximately 100 attendees from 39 member regional governments of five countries
Participant Members
- South Korea : Busan Metropolitan City, Daegu Metropolitan City, Incheon Metropolitan City, Gwangju Metropolitan City, Daejeon Metropolitan City, Sejong Special Self-Governing City, Gyeonggi-do Province, Gangwon-do Province, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, Jeollanam-do Province, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
- China : Heilongjiang Province, Hunan Province, Jilin Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Shandong Province, Shanxi Province
- Japan : Tottori Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture, Shimane Prefecture, Toyama Prefecture
- Mongolia : Arkhangai Province, Bayan-Ulgii Province, Bayankhongor Province, Bulgan Province, Govisumber Province, Dornogovi Province, Dornod Province, Dundgovi Province, Zavkhan Province, Orkhon Province, Uvurkhangai Province, Tuv Province, Khentii Province, Ulaanbaatar City
- Russia : Irkutsk Region, the Republic of Sakha, Krasnoyarsk Territory
Main Content : Discussion on the agenda related to the General Assembly and others

2019 NEAR Working Committee

Date : Tuesday, August 6 to Thursday, August 8, 2019
Venue : Yakutsk City, the Republic of Sakha, Russia

Number of Participants : approximately 80 attendees from 19 regional governments of four countries

Number of Participants
Country	Number of Participants	Name of Participant Members
China	15 participants from six members	Henan Province, Heilongjiang Province, Hubei Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Shandong Province
Japan	8 participants from three members	Toyama Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture, Shimane Prefecture
South Korea	17 participants from seven members	Gwangju Metropolitan City, Ulsan Metropolitan City, Gyeonggi-do Province, Chungcheongnam-do Province, Jeollanam-do Province, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Gyeongsangnam-do Province
Russia	26 participants from three members	The Republic of Sakha(Yakutia), Krasnoyarsk Territory, Amur Region

Main Content
- Presentations on the results of major activities implemented by the Secretariat in 2019 and the project plan for 2020
- Presentations on items to promote for each regional member government
- Presentations and discussions on the agenda of the Working Committee

2019 Northeast Asia Young Leaders Forum

Date : July 9 to July 15, 2019
Venue : Krasnoyarsk Territory, Russia
Number of Participants : approximately 60 attendees from 21 regional governments of five countries
Main Content : Special lectures, themed discussions and presentations, exploration of culture, etc.

Seventh NEAR Youth Art·Poster Contest

Duration of Event : April to November, 2019
Area : Art / Poster
Theme : Promotion of NEAR and introduction of the culture of member regions
Eligibility : youth (middle/high school students) from member regions
Number of Awardees : 41 awardees (one Grand Award, four Excellence Awards, 15 Participation Awards, 21 Special Recognition Awards)

Publication of 2019 NEAR Annual Report

Duration of Work : November 2018 to March 2019
Circulation : 1,050 copies written in six languages, Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and Mongolian
Main Content
- Major activities of the General Assembly, the Working Committee, Subcommittees, etc.
- Activities of the Association, including the Secretariat’s projects, etc.

2019 Subcommittees

2019 Subcommittees
	Subcommittees	Coordinator	Time
1	Subcommittee on Disaster Prevention	Hyogo Prefecture, Japan	5–7 March
2	Subcommittee on Educational and Cultural Exchange	Shimane Prefecture, Japan	2–7 August
3	Subcommittee on Sports	The Republic of Sakha, Russia	6 August
4	Subcommittee on Economy and Humanities Exchange	Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea	22–24 August
5	Subcommittee on Environment	Toyama Prefecture, Japan	14 November
6	Subcommittee on Oceans and Fisheries	Shandong Province, China	4–6 December

NEAR Working-level Workshop 2018

Date : June 21(Thurs.)-June 23(Sat.), 2018
Venue : Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea
Number of Participants : 100 participants from 40 member regional governments of 5 countries
Agenda
- agenda discussion for General Assembly

Twelfth General Assembly

Date : October 28(Sun.)-October 31(Wed.), 2018
Venue : Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, China
Number of Participants : 150 participants from 29 member regional governments of 5 countries
Agenda
- Membership registration of new member (1)
- Co-ordinate autonomous body operation of Subcommittee on Tourism
- Establishment of Subcommittees on Innovation Plus, Youth Policy, and Traditional Medicine

Northeast Asia Youth Leaders Forum

Date : August 17(Fri.)-22(Wed.), 2018
Venue : Handong Global University, Pohang, South Korea
Number of Participants : 82 participants from 5 countries
Main Activities
- Special lecture, discussions and presentations on subthemes, cultural experiences

Sixth Youth Contest

Duration of Event : April-November, 2018
Area : Art/Poster
Theme : Promotion of NEAR, Introduction of Culture, Nature Conservation
Eligibility: youth (middle/high school students) from member regions
Number of Awards : 20 (-1 grand prize, 4 excellence awards, 15 participation awards)

Publication of 2018 NEAR Annual Report

Schedule : November, 2018 - March, 2019
1000 issues available in six languages (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and Mongolian)
Main Contents
- Summary of NEAR meetings
(General Assembly, Working-level Workshop, Subcommittees)
- NEAR Secretariat events and joint activities

2018 Subcommittee Schedule

2018 Subcommittee Schedule
	Subcommittees	Coordinator	Time
1	Subcommittee on Disaster Prevention	Hyogo Prefecture, Japan	March 5-7
2	Subcommittee on Mineral Resources Management	Magadan Region, Russia	July 18
3	Subcommittee on Educational and Cultural Exchange	Shimane Prefecture, Japan	August 3-8
4	Subcommittee on Energy and Climate Change	Shanxi Province, China	September 15
5	Subcommittee on International Human Resources Exchange	Jilin Province, China	September 20

NEAR Working-level Workshop 2017

Date : April 19-21, 2017 (two nights and three days)
Venue : Jeju Special Administrative Province, South Korea
About 100 Working-level officers from 40 regions and organizations from 5 countries attended
Agenda
- Presentation of main activities of NEAR Secretariat in 2016 and plan in 2017
- Presentation and promotion of the NEAR members
- Discussion on subcommittee coordination, follow-up of membership fee adoption, revision of the regulations on NEAR subcommittees management

NEAR International Forum 2017

Date : September 25-28, 2017
Venue : Sunshine Hotel, Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, China
Theme
'Deepening Production Capacity, Promoting Regional Development in Northeast Asia.'

2017 NEAR Working Committee

Dates : September 25-28 2017
Venue: Sunshine Hotel, Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, China
Participants: 70 attendees (54 from 27 member regional governments from five countries) 16 staff
Agenda
1) Annual Report of the NEAR Secretariat and Activity Plan for 2018
2) Promotion of the NEAR member regional governments

Northeast Asia Youth Leaders Forum

Date : August 6-12, 2017 (six nights and seven days)
Venue : Busan University of Foreign Studies, Busan Metropolitan City
Participation : 98 attendees (23 from China, 2 from Japan, 21 from south Korea, 24 from Mongolia, 17 from Russia, 11 staff)
Main Activities
- Opening and Closing Ceremony, Welcome and Farewell Dinner
Topic Discussions, Presentations, Special Lecture, Cultural Experiences

Fifth Youth Contest

Schedule : April–September, 2017
Theme
Introducing the Culture of Northeast Asia
Participation : Youth in the member regions (middle/high school students)
20 Awards (2 Grand Awards, 4 Excellence Awards, and 14 Special Recognition Awards)

Publication of 2017 NEAR Annual Report

Schedule : November 2017-February, 2018
900 issues in 6 languages(Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian and Russian)
Contents
- Summary on the NEAR meetings
(General Assembly, International Forum, Working-level Workshop, Subcommittees)
- Secretariat events and NEAR activities

Subcommittee Meeting Schedule in 2017

Subcommittee Meeting Schedule in 2017
	Sub-Committees	Coordinator Region	Period
1	Subcommittee on Disaster Prevention	Hyogo Prefecture, Japan	March 6-9
2	Subcommittee on Mineral Resources Development and Coordination	Magadan Region, Russia	August 16-18
3	Subcommittee on Educational & Cultural Exchange	Shimane Prefecture, Japan	August 18-23
4	Subcommittee on Environment	Toyama Prefecture, Japan	October 12
5	Subcommittee on Ocean and Fisheries	Shandong Province, China	November 15-17

The 11th General Assembly

Date : September 27-29, 2016 (one night and two days)
Venue : Irkutsk Region, Russia
About 150 attendees from 30 regions and organizations of five countries
Main Activities
- New members from 4 regions of China
- Adoption of membership fee: 1,000 USD/ year
-Appointment of the next Chair (the 12th General Assembly): Hunan Province, China
- Revision of the NEAR Charter: Adoption of associate membership, revision of the function of the General Assembly and quorum for decision making
- Activation of NEAR Subcommittees
- Selection of the next Chair region and the place for the 12th General Assembly meeting in 2018
- NEAR’s 20th Anniversary Ceremony

NEAR International Forum 2016

Date : November 25-26, 2016 (one night and three days)
About 330 attendees (85 participants from 35 regions of five member countries)
Theme
- The Role of Tourism in Collaboration andDevelopment in Northeast Asia

NEAR Working-level Workshop 2016

Date : April 27-29, 2016 (two nights and three days)
Venue: Pohang City, South Korea
About 90 Working-level officers from 38 regions and organizations from five countries attended)
Agenda
- Special lecture and case-introduction of the effective regional cooperation and prosperity
- Presentation of main activities of NEAR Secretariat in 2015 and plan in 2016
- Presentation and promotion of the NEAR members
- Discussion on membership fee, revision of the NEAR Charter
- Cultural tour (Posco, GyeongjuYandong Village)
- NEAR Secretariat visit

Northeast Asia Youth Leaders Forum

Date : August 7-13, 2016 (six nights and seven days)
Venue : DonggukUniversity,Gyeongju Campus
Participation : 77 attendees (college students and young adults from five member countries)
Main Activities
- Topic discussions and presentations, special lecture, cultural experiences (Gyeongju and Pohang)

The 4th Youth Contest

Schedule : April – August, 2016
Theme
＊Essay Theme
What can we do to learn about the region and one another as citizens of Northeast Asia?
* Art/Poster Theme
① Culture of Northeast Asia/ Conservation of Cultural Heritage
② Environmental Issues and Suggested Solutions in Northeast Asia.
Participation : Youths in the member regions (middle/high school students)
16 Awards (two Grand Awards, fourExcellence Awards, and ten Special Recognition Awards)

Publication of 2016 NEAR Annual Report

Schedule : November 2016 - February, 2017
900 issues in 6 languages(Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian and Russian)
Contents
- Summary on the NEAR meetings
(General Assembly, International Forum, Working-level Workshop, Subcommittees)
- Events and Secretariat News

Sub-Committee Meeting Schedule in 2016


	Sub-Committees	Coordinator Region	Period
1	Subcommittee on Disaster Prevention	Hyogo Prefecture, Japan	March 7-10
2	Subcommittee on Mineral Resources Development and Coordination	Magadan Region, Russia	July 15~16
3	Subcommittee on Educational & Cultural Exchange	Shimane Prefecture, Japan	August 19-24

The 10th Working Committee

Date/Venue : October 13-16, 2015 / Irkutsk, Russia
Participated byAbout 100 attendees from 23 member regions of 5 countries
Main Activities: Report on the 10th General Assembly in Jeollanam-do Province and Sub-Committee meetings
Agenda
- Proposal to set regulations for the NEAR Membership Fee System and the activation plans for the Sub-Committees
- Revision of the NEAR Charter
- Introduction of the Associate Member system
- Candidate selection for the next Chair region (two-year term from 2016 to 2017)

NEAR International Forum 2015

Date/Venue : November 18-20, 2015 / Millenium Hilton Seoul, South Korea
Participated by: About 200 attendees from 50 member regions of 5 countries
Topic : Disaster Prevention and Governance in Northeast Asia
Host : NEAR Secretariat, Institute of Global Affairs of Kyung Hee University

The 10th Working-level Workshop

Date/Venue : May 20-22, 2015/ Hyundai Hotel in Gyeongju, South Korea
Participated by: About 100 attendees from 36 member regions of 5 countries
Main Activities
- Presentation on the Secretariat’s achievements in 2014 and service plans of 2015
- Discussion and review on the draft of Membership Fee System and the activation plans for the Sub-Committees

Professional Internship Program of NEAR

An intern Korean teacher sent by NEAR to Republic of Tuva, Russia (September, 2015- June, 2016)
Suport by NEAR: airfee purchase and visa acquirer fee

The 3rd Youth Essay Contest

Date : June – December, 2015
Objectives: To raise youth interest and promote cultural exchange and the identity of World citizienship
Participnats : Youth in Northeast Asia (mid-high school students)
A total of 56 entries from 5 countries
- 2 (China), 6 (Japan), 25 (South Korea), 1 (Mongolia) 22 (Russia)
6 Award winners
1 Grand Award (Japan) and 5 Honor Awards (China, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, Russia)

Sub-Committee Meetings

6 Meetings on Sub-committees
- the 13th Sub-Committee meeting on Disaster Prevention (March 9-12, 2015, Hyogo Prefecture Japan)
- the 15th Sub-Committees meeting on Ecucation and Cultural Exchange (July 31 – August 5, Shimane Prefecture, Japan)
- the 2nd Sub-Committees on Agriculture (October 20-23, 2015, Jeollanam-do Province, South Korea)
- the 4th Sub-Committee on Ocean and Fishery (October 28-30, 2015, Shandong Province, China)
- the 12th Sub-Committee on Environment (November 11, 2015, Toyama Prefecture, Japan)

The 10th NEAR General Assembly held

Date/Venue : October 21~24, 2014, Youngam County, Jeollanam-do Province
Participated by: 100 people from 33 member regions of five countries
Agenda: Activity Report of the 9th Working Committee, Activity Report of the NEAR Secretariat
Resolution
- New Membership Registration (Jilin Province, Republic of Khakassia)
- Revision of the NEAR Charter (hosting period of the Working-Committee)
- Selection of Next Chair Region (Two-year term, Irkutsk Region, Russia)

NEAR International Forum 2014 held

Date/Venue : August 27~30, 2014, Khabarovsk City, Russia
Participated by: 150 people from 25 member regions of five countries
Agenda : Presentation and discussion on seeking a new growth engine in the region, MOU signed between R20 and NEAR

The 9th Working-level Workshop

Date/Venue : May 21~23, 2014, Daegu Metropolitan City
Participated by: 80 people from 37 member regions of five countries
Agenda : resentation on ways to enhance exchange and best cases of regional growth

Sub-committee Meetings

12th Sub-Committee on Disaster Prevention (March 10~13, 2014, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan)
3rd Sub-Committee on Mineral Resources Development & Coordination (July, 19, 2014, Magadan Region, Russia)
14th Sub-Committee on Educational & Cultural Exchange (August 1~6, 2014, Shimane Prefecture, Japan)
1st Sub-Committee on Life & Medical Industry (September 29~October 2, 2014, Chungcheongbuk-do Province)

Promotion of New Membership Registration

Heilongjiang Province and Jilin Province among three provinces in Northeast region of China joined NEAR(General Assembly, September, 2014)
- NEAR promotional team dispatched for Liaoning Province to join NEAR (November, 2014)
Khakassia of Russia joined NEAR (General Assembly, September, 2014)
- Establishment of a foundation for exchange and cooperation among regional governments, including South Korea, three northeast provinces, Primorsky Territory, and North Korea

Staffs Seconded from NEAR Members to the Secretariat Started to Work (nine-year)

1 person respectively from China, Russia, Mongolia, and Japan has started to work at the Secretariat since March, 2006
Composition of organization and enhancement of international service effectiveness as an international organization

Promotion Activities, including production of promotional video and publication of promotional materials

Production of NEAR promotional video in six languages and promotion of NEAR's exchange and cooperation activities and main projects.
Publication of bi-monthly NEAR News (six times a year in six languages, a total of 11,950 copies)
Publication of NEAR Annual Report and distribution to NEAR members and related organizations (363 organizations)
Visit to NEAR member regions and promotion of NEAR
- Visit to 10 member regions and observer regions across five countries from March to November, 2014 and support for and promotion of the NEAR's activities

The 9th NEAR Working Committee

60 attendees from 25 members across five countries and held on September 10-13, 2013 in Youngam County, Jeollanam-do Province, South Korea
Activity Report of the 9th General Assembly 2012 and Sub-Committees
Result of the NEAR Vision 2020, PioNEAR (Professional Internship Program of NEAR), and NEAR Essay Contest
Resolution: Submission of candidate regions to host the General Assembly 2016- Zabaikal and Irkutsk Region of Russia to the General Assembly and Uvurhangai Province of Mongolia, Establishment of Sub-Committee on Sports, Revision of the name of Sub-Committee on Economy & Trade into Economy & Humanities Exchange

The 8th NEAR Working-level Workshop

held on May 28~30, 2013 in Pohang City, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, participated by 97 attendees from 46 members across five countries
Preparation of the chance to develop and unite the Association and enhancement of mutual understanding by establishing human networks

Sub-Committees

Sub-Committee on Disaster Prevention (March 11~14, 2013, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan), Sub-Committee on Environment (October 28~30, 2013, Toyama Prefecture, Japan), Sub-Committee on Agriculture (September 10~13, 2013, Jeollanam-do Province, South Korea), Sub-Committee on Ocean & Fishery (November 5~7, 2013, Shandong Province), Sub-Committee on Economy & Humanities Exchange (December 11~13, 2013, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province)
Support for project development in accordance with 13 Sub-Committees and Enhancement of cooperation for joint-coordinator system

Cooperative Projects linked with Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Council

Visit to Shanxi Province, China, Meeting between the National People's Congress and Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Council, Support for Gyeongsangbuk-do Silk Road Grand Bazar Event(April 4~7)
Meeting between the Planning & Economic Committee of the Gyeognsangbuk-do Provincial Council and the NEAR Secretariat (December 24)

Staffs Seconded from NEAR Members to the Secretariat Started to Work (eight-year)

1 person from China, Russia, Mongolia, and Japan has started to work at the Secretariat since March, 2006 (except for Japan in 2006)
composition of organization befitting international organization and enhancement of international service effectiveness

Publication and Distribution of Promotional Materials

Distribution of bi-monthly NEAR News (six times a year in six languages, a total of 13,200 copies)
※ Pohang City's Administration Promotion Published (Vol. 51,31 of 2013, 4200 copies distributed)
Publication of NEAR Annual Report and Distribution to NEAR members and related organizations (350)
Publication of promotional leaflet (in six languages) and distribution to NEAR members and related organizations

Visit to NEAR Member Regions and Promotion of the Association

Visit to 15 member regions and observers across six countries from March to November, 2013 and support for and promotion of the Association's activities

Building Networks for International Cooperation

Participation in Trilateral Business Networking Reception held on January 17, 2013 at Seoul Plaza Hotel
Discussion on Activation plans for the Association and Guide for the Visit to the Gyeongsan factory of Maeil Dairies Co.Ltd while delegates of Tuv Governor, Mongolia's visiting to Pohang
Building a mutual cooperative partnership with and participation in R20 (Regions of Climate Action) held on January 31 to February 1 in Vienna, Austria
Participation in Gunsan City Promotion Program aimed at Chinese public officials to Korea on January 14-15, 2013 in Gunsan City, Jeollabuk-do Province
MOU Signed between NEAR and the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Acedemy of Sciences on February 21, 2013
Support for CLAIR Seoul office's Participation in Seminar and visit to Pohang city
Opinion exchange regarding regional governments system of Korea and China while delegates led by Nankai University in Tianjin, China 's visit and discussion on exchange and cooperation among regional governments of Northeast Asia after listening to main services on April 23
Participation in China Central Expo held on May 17~20, 2013 and Discussion on Activation Plans for Sub-Committee on Tourism of Henan Province, China
Participation in China Harbin International Economic and Trade Fair held on June 15~19, 2013 in Heilongjiang Province, China and Discussion on Trade Promotion Plans among Regional Governments
Assistance with International Child Festival and International Youth Exchange Events held in June~August, 2013 by Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.
Visit to the Republic of Tuva, Primorsky Territory, and Krasnoyar나 Territory of Russia and Discussion regarding holding International Forum and NEAR's Promotion activities on August 4-9
Participation in the welcome reception for TCS(The Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat) Secretary General on August 28
Visit to Irkutsk Government, Russia and Discussion on holding General Assembly 2016 on October 29
Participation in Sub-Committee on Ocean & Fishery held in Shandong Province, China and the chair of the Forum on Emerging Ocean Industry and Construction of Blue Silicon Valley on November 5-7
Visit to Tenjin, China and Encouragement of Joining the Association on November 7-9
Participation in the 15th Korea-China-Japan Trilateral Local Government Exchange Conference held on November 10~13, 2013 in Toyama Prefecture, Japan and Discussion on exchange and cooperation among three regional governments
Participation in the 6th Korea-Russia Business Dialogue held on November 13, 2013 in Seoul and meeting with Irkutsk delegation led by the Governor
Participation in a reception to celebrate the 20th Aanniversary of the opening of the CLAIR Seoul Office held on November 20, 2013 in Seoul
Discussion on antlers export and impot between Daewon RDT, Korean antler enterprise and the Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Republic of Tuva, Russia on November 21, 2013 in Seoul

Interpreting and Translating Service Using Experts, including Regional Governments

Translating service for Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial office's New Year's card to Russia (January, 2013)
Interpreting service for I-KAIST's opening ceremony to introduce Smart School in Mongolia and for Yoo Jong-geun, Jeollanam-do Province's former govorner's visit to Mongolia (March, 2013)
Translating service for Japanese sports team during the welcome dinner of the 6th Fursal Game (April, 2013)
Interpreting service for Ulaanbaatar City, Mongolia while visiting Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial office (July, 2013)
Interpreting and translating service for completion ceremony of Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial office training related to land and city development of Ulaanbaatar City, Mongolia (August, 2013)
Translating service for expanding friendship exchange between Russian regional governments and Hunan Province of China (August, 2013)
Interpreting service for a Mongolian case at Pohang North Police Station (October, 2013)
Translating and interpreting service regarding exchange between Erdenet City of Mongolia and Gyeongsan City (October, 2013)
Translating service of official document between Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial office and Primorsky Territory of Russia (October, 2013)
Translating and interpreting service for Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial office's visit to Irkutsk Legislative Assembly and Irkutsk State Linguistic University of Russia (October, 2013)
Translating service of exchange and cooperative project suggestions between Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and Mongolia (November, 2013)
Interpreting service for Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial office's Administration Governor while Ulaanbaatar Vice Governor of Mongolia's visit to the Gyeognsangbuk-do Provincial office (November, 2013)
Homestay and interpreting service while Shimane Prefecture of Japan's Visit to Pohang City (November, 2013)

Support for holding the 9th NEAR General Assembly

170 participants from 45 organizations across 6 countries attended the General Assembly at Ninxia Hui Autonomous Region China from 24~27 July 2012
Decision of Long-term placement of a standing Secretariat (Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea) and the venue to host the General Assembly 2014 (Jeollanam-do Province, South Korea)

The 7th NEAR Working-level Workshop held

81 participants from 38 organizations across 5 countries attended at the Working-level Workshop at Gyeongju City and Yeosu City from 29~31 May 2012
Promotion of Co-prosperity of NEAR’s member regional governments and visit to International Exposition Yeosu Korea 2012

Support for facilitating Sub-Committee

Sub-Committee on Disaster Prevention (12~15 March 2012, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan)
Sub-Committee on Mineral Resources Development & Coordination(1~3 August 2012, Magadan Region, Russia)
Sub-Committee on Educational and Cultural Exchange(3~8 August 2012, Shimane Prefecture, Japan)
Sub-Committee on Energy& Climate Change (9~11 October 2012, Daegu Metropolitan City, South Korea)
Sub-Committee on Cross-border Cooperation( 6~9 November 2012, Irkutsk Region, Russia)
Support for project development according to 13 Sub-Committees and enhancement of cooperating system for common coordinating operation

Member Governments Staff Dispatch Program

One person from China, Japan, Russia, and Mongolia worked at the Secretariat
Construction of organization and improvement of efficiency of foreign services suitable for an international organization

Publication and Distribution of Promotion materials

Distribution of bi-monthly NEAR News (6 times in 6 languages)
Publication of Promotion leaflets (in 6 languages) and distribution of the leaflets to member regions and relevant institutions

Visit to member regions and Promotion Activities for NEAR

Visit to 9 regional governments across 9 countries, encouragement of NEAR’s activities, and promotion of NEAR activities between March to November 2012

Providing Various Regional Information through website

Introduction of NEAR and the Secretariat, and member regional governments
Publication of news on the Secretariat and member regional governments

Enhancement of NEAR’s Cooperative Networks

Built mutual cooperation partnership, including signing MOU between NEAR and R20(Regions of Climate Action) in Geneva, Switzerland from 6~11 March 2012
Signed MOU by participating in AER(Assembly of European Regions) General Assembly held in Strasbourg France on October 12 2012

NEAR Website rebuilt

Building global website improved in terms of accessibility, with independent servers and international web standard applied according to expansion of member regions between June to December 2012

Research and Study for NEAR’s New Vision conducted

Suggestion of long-term plan, including preparing development direction for 21st century’s NEAR and mutual exchange and cooperative plans among Northeast Asia member regions governments between June to December 2012

Cooperation and exchange with regional governments and support for interpretation and translation using experts

Support for the 8th Working Committee at Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

81 participants from 24 organizations across 5 countries attended the Working Committee at Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region from 18~21 July 2011
The application of the Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea, for Extension of Term of office and Long-term Placement of the NEAR Secretariat was approved and the venue(Jeollanam-do Province, South Korea) to host the NEAR General Assembly 2014 was also decided.

The 6th Working-level Workshop held

83 participants from 36 organizations across 5 countries attended the Working-level Workshop at Gyeongju City , Gyoengsangbuk-do Province, from 18~20 May 2011
Provided an opportunity for NEAR’s Unity and development and increased mutual understanding by building networking

The 5th NEAR International Forum held

170 participants, including member regions from 5 countries attended the International Forum at Seoul Metropolitan City from 31 October~2 November 2011
The first Meeting with an invitation of NEAR Chairman of Sub-Committee held
A Search for Methods for cooperation among 21st century’s Northeast Asia regional governments

Member Governments Staff Dispatch Program

One person from China, Japan, Russia, and Mongolia worked at the Secretariat
Construction of organization and improvement of efficiency of foreign services for an international organization

Visit to member regions and Promotional Activities for NEAR

Visited 9 regional governments across 4 countries and encouraged NEAR activities between May to July 2011
Promotion of NEAR Activities with participation of persons from relevant institutions of member regions in Working Committee in July 2011

Publication and Distribution of Promotion materials

Distribution of bimonthly NEAR News Letter (6 times)
Publication of Promotion Leaflets (in 6 languages) and distribution of the leaflets to member regions and relevant institutions

Building Cooperative Network with international organizations

Promotion of cooperation with organizations at home and abroad, including ASEAN KOREAN Center and UNESCAP

Support for Cooperation and Exchange among regional governments

Support for signing MOU between Uiduk University, South Korea and Orkhon University, Mongolia in July 2011
Support for the visit of Officials from Fukuoka Prefectural University, Japan to Pohang City in September 2011
Support for preparing Exchange Forum between South Korea-Hubei Province, China in November 2011
Holding Business meeting with delegations headed by Governor of Irkutsk Region in December 2011

Support for organizing the 8th General Assembly in Gyeonggi-do Province

121 representatives of 48 regions from five countries participated in the General Assembly on 27-29 October, 2010
The host of the 2012 General Assembly was decided(Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China); new regions were admitted to NEAR membership.

The 5th Working-level Workshop

68 officials from 25 regions of five countries participated on 25-27 May, 2010 in Gyeongju City, Korea
Enhanced solidarity and mutual understanding among member regions through human networking, contributing to the growth of NEAR.

The 4th NEAR International Economic Forum

290 business leaders and experts from five Northeast Asian countries attended the Forum which was held on 26th October, 2010 in Gyeongju.
Discussed how to promote regional collaboration on green growth in Northeast Asia

Publishment and distribution of NEAR White Paper

NEAR White Paper, the historical record of NEAR, was published in six languages(Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian and Russian)
Distributed to NEAR members and international organizations

Secondment of public officials from member regions to the Secretariat(4th consecutive year)

Since May, 2007, four public officials every year, each representing China, Japan, Mongolia and Russia have been seconded to the Secretariat.
To enhance efficiency in international relations work

Publishment and distribution of NEAR brochures and pamphlets

NEAR News Letter published every second month(6 times a year)
Leaflets were published in six languages and distributed to member regions and international organizations.

Expansion of membership

Membership status: 69 regions from six countries → 70 regions from six countries(China 1, Japan 10, Korea 15, Mongolia 22, Russia 15); five regions as observers
Associate membership introduced aimed at expanding NEAR membership beyond Northeast Asia to Central Asia

Cooperation network with international institutions

The NEAR Secretariat delegation attended the General Assembly of AER(Assembly of European Regions) on 10-12 November, 2010
Direction of future NEAR-AER cooperation was announced.

Various information posted on the NEAR web site

Information provided on member regions and their major events
Presentation documents of the International Economic Forum posted

Support for establishing sisterly ties among regions and institutions

Gyeongbuk Provincial College - Huanghe S & T College(June 2010)
Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute for Korean Traditional Medical Industry, Korea - Institute of Chinese Medicine, Henan Province, China(October 2010)
Pohang City, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province - Darkhan-Uul Province, Mongolia(November 2010)

Support for cooperation and exchange activities among regions and institutions

The 7th Working Committee in Gyeonggi-do Province

Date : September 22~25, 2009
Venue : Suwon City, Gyeonggi-do Province, Korea
Participated by : 59 representatives of 29 member regions from five countries
Agenda
- Proposal on the establishment of three new Sub-Committees
- Decision on the next host of the General Assembly

The 4th Working-level Workshop

Date : May 19, 2009
Venue : Gyeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province
Participated by : 64 representatives of 42 member regions from five countries
Provide a venue for human networking between working-level staffs of NEAR members, thereby building an effective working system and contributing to development and solidarity of NEAR

The 3rd NEAR International Economic Forum

Date : May 20 2009
Venue : Gyeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province
Participated by : 300 people from 42 regions of 5 countries
Agenda : Inter-regional partnership to overcome the global economic crisis

Special Committee Meeting on Membership Fee

Date : May 18 2009
Venue : Gyeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province
Participated by : 15 delegates from 5 regional governments representing each NEA member countries
Agenda : Review on the introduction of membership fee, which was delegated by the 7th General Assembly to the Secretariat

Publication of NEAR White Paper

The Korean version of the White Paper was published as a historical record of NEAR
To be published in other NEA languages in 2010

Member Governments Staff Dispatch Program

Four staffs dispatched from China, Japan, Mongolia and Russia worked at the Secretariat for one year
Aims that members are equally and efficiently represented at the Secretariat befitting NEAR's status as an international organization

Publicity Policy

Publication of NEAR Newsletter and promotion leaflets (in six languages)
Increase brand awareness by distributing promotion materials to 280 organizations, including NEAR members

NEAR Working-Level Workshop

Working-level officials of NEAR members were invited to exchange views on better operation of NEAR
The Workshop laid the foundation for cohesion and effective cooperation among NEAR members by enhancing networking and solidarity among working-level officials.
Date : May 2008 (3 nights 4 days)
Venue : Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea

2008 NEAR International Economic Forum

An int'l forum participated by Northeast Asian business leaders, experts and academics in the field of economy and commerce.
Aims to seek substantial and concrete measures to promote joint development of the Northeast Asian region.
Date : November 2008 (2 nights 3 days)
Venue : Gyeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea

NEAR Brochure & Newsletter

The official newsletter "NEAR News" published every second month
Provides information and news on NEAR members
Aims to enhance understanding of NEAR and promote NEAR activities
NEAR Brochure - Aims to enhance publicity
Updated regularly with information on new members

Revision of NEAR Homepage

Establish and update databases on the existing and new members of NEAR
Aims to create an on-line Secretariat to facilitate communication and flow of information among member regions as a cyber hub of NEAR exchange and cooperation

Support of the 2008 General Assembly in Shandong

Date : September 2008
Venue : Jinan City, Shandong Province, China
Main Agenda
- Approval of new membership
- Establishment of Sub-Committees on Tourism / Ocean & Fishery, Appointment of coordinating regions
- Review and decision on introducing NEAR membership fee
- Decision on the host of 2010 General Assembly and the NEAR Secretariat

Expansion of Membership

Expansion of membership to raise the global standing of NEAR as an international organization representing Northeast Asia
Publicity activities to introduce NEAR to non-NEAR member regions in Northeast Asia
Membership expanded from 65 to 69 regions

Operation of International Training Program

Help dispatched staffs from overseas adapt to the new environment in Korea by providing Korean language lessons
Language courses (English, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Mongolian) scheduled to be offered

Contribution to Economic Exchange in Northeast Asia

NEAR Secretariat contributed to the promotion of economic exchange among NEAR members
Date : April 22 (Sun.) ~ April 28 (Sat.)〔 7 days〕
Visit to NEAR members : Ulaanbaatar City of Mongolia, Hubei Province of China, Henan Province
Activities and Results
- Ulaanbaatar City of Mongolia : Conclusion of MOUs between Ulaanbaatar City and chambers of commerce in Gyeongsangbuk-Do Province, trade consultation
- Hubei Province of China : Official meeting with the vice-governor of Hubei Province, conclusion of MOUs between chambers of commerce in Hubei Province and Gyeongsangbuk-Do Province, trade consultation
- Henan Province : Participation in investment and trade fairs

Organization of the 2nd NEAR Working-Level Workshop

The 2nd NEAR Working-Level Workshop provided a venue for human networking between working-level staffs of NEAR members, thereby building an effective working system and contributing to development and solidarity of NEAR
Date : May 15 (Tues.) ~ 5.18 (Fri.) 〔 4 days〕
Venue : Gyeongsangbuk-Do Province (Gyeong-ju, Andong, Yeongju, Mungyeong, Goryeong)
Participants : 80 people from 32 NEAR members of five countries
Activities
- Announcement of major projects of the NEAR Secretariat in 2007, discussion on how to expand exchanges among NEAR members
- Report by NEAR members on provincial government activities and cooperation issues, visit to the NEAR Secretariat, cultural experience tour

Support to Organizing the 6th NEAR Working Committee Meeting in Shandong Province, China

Shandong Province, elected as the host province of the 7th NEAR General Assembly, reviewed activities of NEAR Sub-Committees and working-level discussion was held on various pending issues during the committee meeting.
Date : September 3 (Mon.) ~ September .6 (Thur.)〔 4 days〕
Venue : Sofitel Silver Plaza Jinan, Shandong Province, China
Participants : 80 people from 31 NEAR members of five countries
Activities and Results
- The establishment of Sub-Committees on Tourism/Maritime and Fishery discussed
- Decision made to refer the membership fee issue to the 2008 General Assembly
- Decision made for Gyeonggi-Do Province to host the 2010 General Assembly
- Decision made to refer the issue of continued retention of the NEAR Secretariat by Gyeongsangbuk-Do Province to the 2008 General Assembly (2009-2013)
- Preliminary arrangements for the 2008 General Assembly

Organization of the 2007 NEAR International Economic Forum

2007 NEAR International Economic Forum, participated by renowned scholars and entrepreneurs, was held to find concrete and practical ways to promote joint-development of Northeast Asia.
Date : October 16, 2007~ October 19, 2007〔 4 days〕
Venue : Inter Burgo Hotel, Deagu Metropolitan City
Theme : Toward the enhancement of economic cooperation among Northeast Asian regional governments
Speaker : 11 people from 5 countries (China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia)
Participants : 300 people from 22 NEAR members of five countries
Themes of Speeches
- Conditions for the development of Northeast Asia
- Toward the enhancement of economic cooperation among regional governments in Northeast Asia
- Community building in Northeast Asia through cultural denominator
- Toward Northeast Asian regional cooperation and East Asia community

Staff Dispatch from NEAR member regional governments to the NEAR Secretariat

Staffs from NEAR member regional governments were dispatched to the NEAR Secretariat to facilitate effective work at the Secretariat and enhance solidarity among NEAR members
Staff Dispatch Program
- Number of Dispatched Staffs : 4 (one staff each from China, Japan, Mongolia and Russia) Dispatch
- Period : Yearly staff rotation since May 2005

Operation of International Training Program

International Training program was operated to help dispatched staffs adapt to the new environment
Program
- Korean language class for foreign staffs - taught by volunteer workers
- Language - and international etiquette training course
- Open to local citizens (students, entrepreneurs and etc.)

Production and Distribution of NEAR Booklets

The Secretariat produced and distributed various types of booklets to NEAR members and related agencies and authorities to enhance publicity of NEAR activities at home and abroad.
Published Booklets
- NEAR Pamphlet - published in six languages including Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Mongolian
- distributed to NEAR members, non-members and related agencies and authorities in Northeast Asia NEAR News
- NEAR News - published every two months in Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Mongolian
- distributed to NEAR members, non-members and related agencies on a regular basis

Strengthened Position of NEAR through Membership Expansion

NEAR expanded its membership to establish its position as an international organization representing Northeast Asia.
Publicity efforts were made in order to encourage non-members to join the organization
NEAR member provinces in Korea encouraged their sisterhood cities and provinces to join NEAR membership
Officers dispatched from overseas local governments through K2H Program (Korean Heart to Heart : The program was initiated by Korean Local Authorities Foundation for International Relations to promote international cooperative relationship) contributed to the publicity work
Results
- Membership expansion : 65 member local governments from 6 countries ⇒ 71 member local governments from 6 countries
- Membership application submitted - Magadan Region (Russia)
- Intent of application - Tianjin City, Shanxi Province, Gansu Province (China), Ulsan City (Korea)
- Observer - Yamaguchi Prefecture (Japan), Liaoning Province (China)

Attracted member organizations and expanded.

With active attracting activities such as sending PR missions, 27 organizations from 4 countries joined newly.
Expanded to 65 member organizations of total 6 countries, acquiring the status as the international organization: Korea(11), China(6), North Korea(2), Japan(10), Mongolia(22), Russia(14).

NEAR homepage (economy and trade network) operation

'06.May 24 held an opening ceremony of Northeast Asia economy and trade network.
Operated video conference system, e-commerce support system, and merchandise exhibition hall.
Played a role as Northeast Asia information bank and contributed to activation of cyber business exchange.

Held the 6th general assembly

'06. Sep.12~Sep.15, 131 people of 51 organizations from 5 countries participated in Busan (the biggest size in the history).
Enhanced its role in the federation with the proceeding the first general assembly leaded by the secretariat.

Established the practical subcommittee and held a working-level workshop.

'06. May.17~May.19, 50 people of 20 organizations in 5 countries participated in Gyeongju.
Strengthen ties among its member organizations and established cooperative network.

Staffs from member organizations worked at the secretariat

From May 2006, each one of staffs from China, Russia, and Mongolia has worked.
Enhanced structural composition fitting to the headquarters of an international institute and efficiency of foreign works.

Published promotion materials

Published NEAR NEWS in 5 languages and distributed to 200 organizations including member organizations.
Utilized the federation’s official flag confirmed at the Busan general assembly.