Busan City Signs Friendship and Cooperation Agreement with Genoa, Italy Promoting practical exchanges and cooperation in ports, investment trade, tourism, culture, and sports Busan City announced that at 11:30 AM local time on the 20th, it signed a Friendship and Cooperation Agreement with Genoa, Italy, the largest port city in Italy and a central hub of Mediterranean shipping.
The signing ceremony took place at Genoa City Hall, with Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon and Genoa Mayor Marco Bucci signing the agreement in person.
This agreement is a follow-up measure based on discussions from the exchange of friendly letters between Mayor Park Heong-joon and Mayor Marco Bucci in 2022. In December 2022, Mayor Marco Bucci sent a letter to Mayor Park Heong-joon proposing ways to promote exchanges and cooperation between the two cities, culminating in the signing of this agreement.
Genoa, the largest port city in Italy, is traditionally developed in shipbuilding and manufacturing. South Korea and Italy established diplomatic relations in 1884, and this year marks the 140th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. Busan and Genoa, as the largest port cities in their respective countries and with common ground in shipbuilding and manufacturing, have been cooperating in the port sector.
This agreement holds significant meaning as Busan’s first sisterhood/friendship cooperation city in Italy.
Busan City has established a strategic international exchange management plan to transform the impact of city diplomacy, gained through hosting international events, into tangible outcomes. With this agreement, the scope of city diplomacy extends to Italy.
Through this agreement, the two cities plan to promote practical exchanges and cooperation in key areas, focusing on their status as major port cities and globally renowned cities for culture, tourism, and sports.
Genoa hosts over 2 million cruise passengers annually and is home to two world-famous football clubs (Genoa CFC and UC Sampdoria) with Serie A championship experiences.
Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “With this Friendship and Cooperation Agreement with Genoa, Italy, Busan will enhance its innovation capabilities in the port sector and strengthen its urban competitiveness, moving closer to realizing Busan as a global hub city and a central city in South Korea.”
He added, “In the future, we will actively continue sustainable exchange activities with Genoa in areas such as ports, investment trade, tourism, culture, and sports.”
Meanwhile, with this Friendship and Cooperation Agreement with Genoa, Busan has signed agreements with 14 cities during the 8th term of the local government, establishing sisterhood/friendship relations with a total of 51 cities in 41 countries.