Gwangyang City seeks sisterhood with Davao

Yet another Korean City is seeking close partnership with Davao City, in line with its goal of developing a global network with the world’s foremost port cities.

“No less than the mayor of Gwangyang City of the Republic of Korea wrote City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to suggest the setting up of a mutual, cooperative and friendly relationship between the two cities,” International Relations Committee chairperson councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

A few months ago, Davao City signed a Letter of Intent with Uijeongbu City of the Republic of Korea in time with the visit here of a 16-man delegation from the city

Zozobrado said it is interesting to note that while Gwangyang is among the top three Free Economic Zones and Free Trade Zones in the Republic of Korea, the city is focusing on Green Growth and seeks to become a highly-developed but eco-friendly city.

She said we need all the help we can get to keep our development in line with the objective of keeping our environment safe and sound, and this city is a good model for such development.

Gwangyang City Mayor Lee Sung-Woong, in a letter to Duterte, said “we are presently working towards creating a global network with the world’s foremost port cities with the vision of constructing a free trade in North-east Asia.”

“With this in mind we are seeking your interest and truly hope to establish an international relationship that makes for friendship and mutual cooperation and development between our two cities,” he said.

Zozobrado said Gwangyang is a port city and just like Davao, it has a beautiful coast and surrounded by mountains and rivers.

“Davao can learn a lot from the development plans of Gwangyang City and we should look forward to the signing of a sisterhood agreement with them if only to be able to build closer ties with a city that is very similar to Davao in terms of its geographical make up and economic growth,” she said.

The POSCO Gwangyang Steel Works, a global steel company, has been the main driving force of Gwangyang City’s growth since 1986. The company has produced 17.45 million tons of steel in 2008.