On July 1, during the 1st NEAR Subcommittee on Youth Policy held in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, NEAR Secretary-General Lim Byung-jin met with Mr. Mikhail Kotyukov, Governor of Krasnoyarsk Krai, to discuss ways to expand cooperation between NEAR and Krasnoyarsk Krai.
Secretary-General Lim began by expressing his appreciation, noting that the 1st Subcommittee on Youth Policy was the first NEAR subcommittee meeting held in Russia since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also thanked the Krasnoyarsk government for its thorough preparations, which contributed to the successful hosting of the event.
He went on to emphasize that the Subcommittee had laid a solid foundation for future successful gatherings on youth policy, acknowledging the complex international situation and logistical challenges, such as limited flight availability when organizing NEAR events in Russia. He assured that the NEAR Secretariat would continue to actively support the Youth Policy Subcommittee to help establish it as one of NEAR's flagship subcommittees.
Governor Kotyukov praised NEAR for its significant role in fostering cooperation and strengthening ties among local governments in Northeast Asia. He also expressed his gratitude to the NEAR Secretariat for its support in ensuring the successful hosting of the 1st Subcommittee on Youth Policy.
He then introduced the 'World Youth Festival' scheduled to be held in Krasnoyarsk in 2026 and reflected on the NEAR Youth Leaders Forum held in Biryusa in the summer of 2019, which brought together students from Mongolia, China, Korea, Japan, and Russia. He proposed inviting NEAR youth members to visit Biryusa once again.
In response, Secretary-General Lim said that the NEAR Secretariat would actively consider organizing the NEAR Youth Leaders Forum in conjunction with the Biryusa Festival by inviting 20 to 25 students from China, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia to Krasnoyarsk.
Meanwhile, Krasnoyarsk Krai hosted the 1st NEAR Subcommittee on Youth Policy from June 30 to July 2, attended by 37 representatives from 13 local governments across five countries.