Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea, and Irkutsk Region, Russia, held an event to commemorate 25-years of sister city relations via video online on October 5.

In the event hosted by Governor Lee Cheol-woo of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea, and Governor Kobzev Igor of Irkutsk Region, Russia, Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Irkutsk Region Kim Sewoong and Consul General of the Russian Federation in Busan Ryabkov Gennady delivered congratulatory remarks. The remarks were followed by a report on outcomes of exchange and cooperation between the two regions and discussions on future directions of diplomacy.

NEAR Secretariat staff took part in the event at a video conference room at the Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Governmental Office. In addition, the expert on Russia from the NEAR Secretariat, Artem Egorov, provided an interpretation service.

Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and Irkutsk Region established relations as sister cities to mark the founding of NEAR in September 1996. The regions served as the first and eleventh chair regional governments, respectively.