By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee

Gyeongju City Mayor Joo Nak-young met with Italian Ambassador to Korea Emilia Gatto and discussed ways to expand exchanges and cooperation between Gyeongju and Italy on April 29, the city announced.

The meeting was organized as part of the city's global city diplomacy strategy to prepare for the post-APEC era ahead of the 2025 APEC Summit in Gyeongju in October.

Mayor Joo said, "We will use the APEC Summit as an opportunity to raise Gyeongju's international profile and further expand exchange cooperation with Italian cities. Based on the deep cultural commonalities between our two countries, we will strengthen cooperation in cultural and economic fields."

"As a city with a long history and beautiful cultural heritage, Gyeongju can share many similarities with other Italian cities," said Ambassador Gatto, suggesting that the two cities promote friendship and cooperation, especially between Agrigento in Sicily and Gyeongju.

Gyeongju has been twinned with the ancient Italian city of Pompeii since 1985, and a delegation from Gyeongju will visit Pompeii in June to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the twinning this year.

The city plans to use Ambassador Gatto's visit as a platform to further expand substantial and lasting exchanges in the cultural and economic fields between Gyeongju and the Italian city, using the APEC as a springboard.