33 foreign officials participate in Korea's annual fellowship program
Yonhap News
Yoo Cheong-mo
KO
2026-04-09 07:54
SEOUL, April 9 (Yonhap) -- The Governors Association of the Republic of Korea (G...
SEOUL, April 9 (Yonhap) -- The Governors Association of the Republic of Korea (GAROK) on Thursday hosted a welcome ceremony for participants in this year's fellowship program for foreign local government officials in Seoul.
The fellowship program, dubbed "Korea Heart to Heart," or K2H, brought together 33 foreign local public officials from eight countries and regions this year, according to GAROK, a consultative body comprising 17 metropolitan cities and provinces nationwide, currently headed by Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok.
The K2H program, marking its 27th year, is a flagship international exchange and cooperation initiative that has connected Korean local governments with their counterparts around the world since its launch in 1999.
By inviting foreign local public officials to work within Korean local governments, and experience Korea's administrative system and culture firsthand, the program has played a key role in fostering Korea-friendly and Korea-savvy professionals, as well as in building practical networks among local governments.
The welcome ceremony for the 33 fellows, including those from China, Japan, Germany, Indonesia, the Philippines and Zimbabwe, took place at the President Hotel in downtown Seoul on Thursday morning.
They will be dispatched to major local governments across the country, such as Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon and Ulsan, and will experience the dynamic administrative field of Korea's local governments by working alongside staff in the active departments of each region.
Lee Jang-keun, chief of local diplomacy of GAROK, said in his welcome address, "You are all invaluable 'local ambassadors' connecting the local governments of your respective countries." He further encouraged them, saying, "I hope this will be a meaningful fellowship period where each and every one of you remembers the pride and responsibility of being a leading figure in diplomacy."
A fellow called it an honor to directly learn about Korea's administration and culture. "I want to go beyond merely applying my experiences here to my home country. I want to play a practical bridging role by envisioning cooperative projects that my home country and Korea can undertake together."
GAROK said it plans to strengthen network management based on the know-how accumulated through the K2H program so that the fellows can continue to serve as a channel for continuous cooperation with their respective local governments even after returning home, thereby continuously expanding the horizons of Korea's local diplomacy.
ycm@yna.co.kr(END)
The fellowship program, dubbed "Korea Heart to Heart," or K2H, brought together 33 foreign local public officials from eight countries and regions this year, according to GAROK, a consultative body comprising 17 metropolitan cities and provinces nationwide, currently headed by Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok.
The K2H program, marking its 27th year, is a flagship international exchange and cooperation initiative that has connected Korean local governments with their counterparts around the world since its launch in 1999.
By inviting foreign local public officials to work within Korean local governments, and experience Korea's administrative system and culture firsthand, the program has played a key role in fostering Korea-friendly and Korea-savvy professionals, as well as in building practical networks among local governments.
The welcome ceremony for the 33 fellows, including those from China, Japan, Germany, Indonesia, the Philippines and Zimbabwe, took place at the President Hotel in downtown Seoul on Thursday morning.
They will be dispatched to major local governments across the country, such as Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon and Ulsan, and will experience the dynamic administrative field of Korea's local governments by working alongside staff in the active departments of each region.
Lee Jang-keun, chief of local diplomacy of GAROK, said in his welcome address, "You are all invaluable 'local ambassadors' connecting the local governments of your respective countries." He further encouraged them, saying, "I hope this will be a meaningful fellowship period where each and every one of you remembers the pride and responsibility of being a leading figure in diplomacy."
A fellow called it an honor to directly learn about Korea's administration and culture. "I want to go beyond merely applying my experiences here to my home country. I want to play a practical bridging role by envisioning cooperative projects that my home country and Korea can undertake together."
GAROK said it plans to strengthen network management based on the know-how accumulated through the K2H program so that the fellows can continue to serve as a channel for continuous cooperation with their respective local governments even after returning home, thereby continuously expanding the horizons of Korea's local diplomacy.
ycm@yna.co.kr(END)