NEAR Secretary-General LIM Byung-jin and staff members of the NEAR Secretariat attended and congratulated the National Day Reception, hosted by the Consulate-General of Japan in Busan (Consul-General OHTSUKA Tsuyoshi) on February 14. It was held at the Paradise Hotel in Busan, Korea. 

This reception was held for the first time in four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was attended by about 300 people, They included Japanese Consul-General OHTSUKA Tsuyoshi, former Busan Metropolitan City Mayor HEO Nam-sik, Chinese Consul-General CHEN Ribiao, and ambassadors of international relations from Busan Metropolitan City, Ulsan Metropolitan City, and Gyeongsangna-do Province. The event was held in their presence.

Mr. Lim met with Chinese Consul-General CHEN Ribiao, who attended the event, and introduced NEAR and presented briefly on the Chinese NEAR Member. He also asked for their interest and support for NEAR in the future.

In addition, Mr. Lim introduced NEAR and established friendly relationships by exchanging views with many political and academic figures, including former Busan Mayor HEO Nam-sik (current President of Shilla University), Ambassador SHIN Jae-hyeon of International Relations in Busan, Ambassador PARK Cheol-min of International Relations in Ulsan, Ambassador KIM Byeong-yeon of international relations in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, Secretary-General WOO Kyung-ha of the Asia-Pacific City Tourism Organization(TPO), President JANG Je-guk of Dongseo University, and President JANG Sun-heung of Busan University of Foreign Studies.