NEAR held the 13^th Working Committee at Ulsan Convention Center, Ulsan Metropolitan City, South Korea with 150 participants present from 54 member regions and one observer region of five countries (excluding North Korea) on September 21.

The working committee meeting hosted by Ulsan Metropolitan City, NEAR’s current chair region was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The opening ceremony started with the introductory declaration given by Deputy Mayor Ahn Hyo-dae for Economic Affairs of Ulsan Metropolitan City. It was followed by the welcoming remarks delivered by Mayor Kim Doo-gyum of Ulsan Metropolitan City, Opening Remarks by Deputy Mayor Ahn Hyo-dae for Economic Affairs of Ulsan Metropolitan City, and congratulatory remarks by NEAR Secretary-General Kim Ok-chae. Then, the presentation by the NEAR chair region, which was themed, “Ulsan, the Industrial Capital with Its Daring Leaps Forward” followed.  

Mayor Kim, in his welcoming remarks, stressed that we should expand exchange and cooperation between regional governments, based on the profound common ground uniquely shared by Northeast Asians.

In addition, Deputy Mayor Ahn Hyo-dae added, in his opening remarks, that Ulsan Metropolitan City would do its utmost as the NEAR chair region, because cooperation between regional governments is more important than ever, in order to discuss and solve various issues, including a response to climate change and world peace.

Secretary-General Kim Ok-chae, in his congratulatory remarks, said that the NEAR Secretariat would further exchange between NEAR members hereafter and strengthen our capabilities by focusing on creating opportunities for young-adults, the next generation, to better understand neighboring countries without prejudice.

There were three items on the meeting agenda tabled for this working committee meeting: introduction of written resolutions, expansion of associate membership, and amendment of provision on operational expenses of the General Assembly and the Working Committee. Upon expression of intention by member regional governments in writing, the working committee passed a resolution in favor of all three items on the agenda.

In addition, there was a  report on the major activities of NEAR, including the report on the major activities of the NEAR Secretariat, report on the outcomes of the 13^th NEAR online General Assembly, report on the activities of the NEAR subcommittee on cross-border e-commerce by Henan Province, China, report on the activities of the 7^th subcommittee on oceans and fisheries by Shandong Province, China, introduction to the NEAR subcommittee on traditional medicine by Shaanxi Province, China, report on the NEAR subcommittee on educational and cultural exchange by Shimane Prefecture, Japan, and report on the activities of the NEAR subcommittee on environment and the subsequent plans.

Moreover, there were presentations given by Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Hubei Province of China, Sejong Special Self-Governing Province and Gangwon-do Province of South Korea, Bulgan Aimag of Mongolia, and Krasnoyarsk Territory and Kampchatka Territory of Russia.

The working committee meeting closed with the Declaration of the 13^th NEAR Working Committee by Jeong Ho-dong, the director general of Economic Investment Bureau of Ulsan Metropolitan City.