Mayor of Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding with Park Heong-Joon, Mayor of Busan Metropolitan City.
The MoU will focus on enhancing a mutual understanding, prosperity and friendship and will see the two cities commit to five years’ worth of active co-operation that will initially be aimed at digital, smart cities, clean energy and net zero, and health.
Busan is South Korea’s second city, as well as being the word’s fifth busiest port, and this agreement comes as part of the UK-Republic of Korea Innovation Twins Programme. The programme, delivered by Connected Places Catapult which is part of Innovate UK, has selected four places in the UK that will take part in order to leverage world-class innovation and international collaboration.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:
“As a region based around one of the world’s most famous port cities, our area has always been as an open and outward looking place.
“While our reputation for culture, music and sport may precede us on the global stage, we know that our unique strengths and assets in science, innovation, and research as what continues to attract partners from around the world to want to work with us.
“I believe we have all the capabilities, assets – and the political will – to take our area to the forefront of UK science and innovation and take advantage of the many thousands of jobs and training opportunities it will bring to our area.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to strengthen our region’s ties with South Korea as we enter a new chapter in our partnership. Working together, I want to take advantage of our shared strengths and unique assets to build a stronger future for our areas and people.”
For more than a year, Liverpool City Region has been working on increasing ties with Busan, with the support of the UK Embassy in Seoul and Connected Places Catapult. Before the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, senior officials from the Korean state water corporation travelled to Liverpool to sign a deal that sees them co-operating with the City Region on the development of the Mersey Tidal Power project. This project holds the potential to generate enough predictable, renewable energy to power up to one million homes for 120 years.
Mayor of Busan Metropolitan City, Park Heong-Joon, said:
“The city of Liverpool is amazing. I’ve been impressed that historical and contemporary features harmoniously coexist.
“Today’s MoU and the Innovative Twins project will become a catalyst to further bolster bilateral ties between the two port cities across various avenues from green technology, smart city, R&D, port regeneration, to culture.
“The two cities share much in common – not to mention, the two cities are home to great musicians, Beatles and BTS. I believe the cities have got huge potential to facilitate co-operation in the years to come and this will mutually benefit our people in the regions.
“And definitely more Koreans and Brits will visit each city more.”
Nicola Yates OBE, Chief Executive of Connected Places Catapult, said:
“With 2023 marking 140 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and the Republic of Korean, I am particularly pleased to see two of our most vibrant regions establishing closer links.
“The Liverpool City Region and the city of Busan are natural partners in so many ways. We look forward to continuing our support of this partnership and the civic, business and research cooperation opportunities that will be created.”
Liverpool City Region has also been hailed as a ‘standout example’ of how regional authorities in the UK can develop international trade links.
Video credit: Liverpool City Region
Image credit: iStock
