On January 8, Secretary-General LIM Byung-jin visited the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in Seoul and met with Ambassador ISMAILOVA Aida to present NEAR’s ongoing initiatives, activities, and the AssOn January 8, Secretary-General LIM Byung-jin visited the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in Seoul and met with Ambassador ISMAILOVA Aida to present NEAR’s ongoing initiatives, activities, and the Associate Membership Program. Mr. Lim expressed hope that Kyrgyzstan’s regional governments would join NEAR as associate members to foster collaboration between NEAR and local governments in Central Asia. He sought the Kyrgyz Embassy’s support in this endeavor.

Mr. Lim also shared his participation in the Third International Friendship Cities Forum held in Yinchuan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region last September, where he met with DZHUMAGAZIEV Kanat, Governor of Chuy Province. During the meeting, Mr. Lim gave details on NEAR's Associate Membership Program, and Governor DZHUMAGAZIEV Kanat expressed significant interest in NEAR.

Ms. Ismailova, having been acquainted with NEAR through Mr. Lim's detailed introduction to NEAR and the Associate Membership Program, expressed her embassy's readiness to facilitate Kyrgyzstan's regional governments in becoming Associate Members of NEAR.

Notably, Ms. Ismailova highlighted the embassy's priority this year, promoting exchanges and cooperation between local governments in Kyrgyzstan and Korea, expressing great interest in collaborating with NEAR.

In 2016, NEAR adopted a resolution during the 11th General Assembly in Irkutsk, Russia, and the 13th NEAR High-Level Working Committee in Ulsan, South Korea, in 2022, allowing metropolitan governments outside the Northeast Asian region to participate as associate members. Currently, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is the sole associate member of NEAR.