By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee

Busan Mayor Park Hyung-jun, chairman of the National Council of Cities of Korea, hosted the “15th Luncheon Meeting with Foreign Missions in Korea” at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on Dec. 6, 2024.
 
According to the Busan Metropolitan City, the meeting was the largest ever held, with more than 80 ambassadors from 78 countries attending, and was organized to strengthen cooperation between local governments and the foreign diplomatic corps in Korea.

The event, which marked its 15th year, is significant as a venue for local governments to establish themselves as important actors in international diplomacy and realize the value of global cooperation.
 
“The event, which began in 2010 with nine ambassadors and 22 diplomatic officials, has now become a meaningful annual event with more than 80 participants,” said Mayor Park in his welcome speech, expressing his gratitude for the deep interest and support for international exchange among local governments.
 
In his congratulatory remarks, Ambassador Chafik Rachadi of Morocco in Seoul pledged his country's active support for subnational diplomacy, saying, “Subnational diplomacy plays an important role in expanding the diplomacy of the central government and broadening the scope of exchanges.”
 

For the first time at this year's meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Youth and Local People's Diplomacy Team organized a pre-meeting reception to promote the specialties of the seven provinces, attracting the attention of diplomats.

 
At the event, major international events scheduled to be held next year were announced, including the Yeongdong World Gugak Expo and Jecheon Hanbang Natural Products Expo in Chungcheongbuk-do and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Gyeongsangbuk-do.
 
In addition, a brochure and promotional materials introducing each local government's 2025 international events were distributed to effectively publicize the local government's international activities.
 
Mayor Park said, “After signing an MOU with the Foreign Diplomatic Corps in Korea last year to support local diplomacy, we signed a cooperative business agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea this year, laying the foundation for systematic support for diplomatic activities among local governments. This will be an important step in opening a new horizon for local diplomacy,” said Mayor Park. ”We will continue to communicate for active exchanges and cooperation among local governments around the world.”