Welcome to the Association of North East Asia Regional Governments website!

The Association of North East Asia Regional Governments was founded in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea in 1996 as an international organization. As of 2019, its membership includes 78 regional governments from six countries, China, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, Russia, and North Korea, and 1 associate member from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Since its foundation, NEAR has pursued co-development and prosperity in Northeast Asia through exchange and cooperation among regional governments in a variety of sectors such as economy, environment, disaster prevention, education, culture, oceans and fisheries, tourism, agriculture, energy, climate change, mineral, logistics, and youth policy, contributing to world peace and stability in Northeast Asia.

Northeast Asia is a region that has infinite development potential despite the various diplomatic conflicts between the central governments of each country. Therefore, the cross-border cooperation enforcement between local governments will lay the foundations for the start of a new era for the Asia Pacific region in the 21st century.

Despite the political and diplomatic conflicts in the region, the inter-regional exchange of local governments has continued steadily since NEAR’s establishment. NEAR will continually strive for the formation of community in East Asia that transcends political structures and ideologies through the expansion of fruitful cooperation.

To achieve these goals, the NEAR website plays a major role as a platform, sharing information and fostering a shared understanding between NEAR member regional governments and the NEAR Secretariat.

Finally, please do not hesitate to state your opinions and suggestions regarding NEAR. The NEAR Secretariat will strive to reflect your recommendations faithfully.

Thank you for your continued interest and support of the NEAR Secretariat.

OKCHAE KIM
Secretary-General of the Association of North East Asia Regional Governments