SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- A delegation of Chinese local government officials will visit South Korea this week to explore ways to expand exchanges and cooperation between local governments, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday.
The delegation, which comprises division-level officials from foreign affairs offices of Beijing, Guangdong, Jiangxi and other regions, will make a five-day visit through Friday to receive a briefing on bilateral relations, and visit industrial and cultural facilities, according to the ministry.
Its itinerary also includes visits to the Saemangeum national industrial complex and relevant agencies to explore potential cooperation on the development project at the local government level.
Saemangeum is a large-scale reclamation and development project on South Korea's west coast aimed at creating an industrial, business and tourism hub. At a summit in November 2025, President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed ways to promote investment in the complex.
The visit is part of the 2026 Korea-China Future-Oriented Exchange Program, which was launched in 1999 to invite Chinese local government officials responsible for foreign affairs to South Korea.
"We will continue to support exchanges and cooperation between local governments in the two countries, building on ties established through the program," the ministry said in a release.
Shown here is an artist's rendering of the Saemangeum International Airport, provided by the North Jeolla Province government. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE (Yonhap)
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