Located in the southwest of South Korea, Gwangju City is the fifth largest city in South Korea and the political, economic and cultural center city in the southwest of South Korea. It is rich in historical and cultural heritage and enjoys the title of “Hometown of Culture and Art” in South Korea. Located in the southern part of Gwangju City, Nam District is the core area for the Korean government to promote the Asian Cultural Center City Project, and a transportation hub connecting 12 cities and counties in the southwest. It is not only the most prestigious educational city in the southern part of South Korea, but also a green garden city combining urban and rural areas.

Exchanges between Banan District and Nam District, Gwangju

Nam District has a certain historical origin and fate with Banan District, and they are the hometown of famous composer Zheng Lvcheng and Ding Xuesong, the first female ambassador of New China respectively. Mr. Zheng Lvcheng and Ms. Ding Xuesong met in Yan’an and got married, and contributed their whole life to the founding and construction of New China. In 2009, Mr. Zheng Lvcheng was rated as one of the 100 heroic models who made outstanding contributions to the founding of New China.

In November 2010, the Head of Nam District Government of Gwangju City, South Korea, led a government delegation to visit Banan, and signed the Letter of Intent for the Establishment of Friendship Zone with Banan District. In July 2016, Cui Ronghao, the Head of Nam District Government of Gwangju City, South Korea, led a government delegation to visit Banan, and visited the ruins of “Korean Village”, Zhaofeng Ceramics Factory and Dongwenquan Town, further promoting cooperation and exchanges between both sides. In August 2017, Cui Ronghao, the Head of the Nam District Government of Gwangju City, South Korea, led a government delegation to visit Banan once again, visited the former residence of Ms. Ding Xuesong and Mudonghe Street, and watched the performance of Mudong Folk Songs, a national intangible cultural heritage, and initially reached a consensus on carrying out intangible cultural heritage exchange activities. In May, 2019, Xin Guorong, Secretary of Banan District Party Committee, was invited to lead a party and government delegation to the Nam District for an exchange visit, and the Memorandum on Establishing Friendly Cooperation Relations was signed. Both sides reached preliminary intentions in signing the friendly cities agreement, strengthening cultural and economic cooperation, and promoting economic and trade development, and decided to jointly promote the implementation of special catering and other business projects. In October, 2019, Byung-nai Kim, the Head of the Nam District Government of Gwangju City, South Korea, led a delegation of the Nam District Government to conduct a friendly exchange visit to Banan District, and reached a further cooperation consensus on the visits and exchanges between youth in winter and summer camps, the exchange of intangible cultural heritage (Mudong folk songs, Gosau ebony and Korean traditional percussion music) and the development of economic and trade activities.