Chinese officials to visit Korea to discuss bilateral ties, Saemangeum cooperation

The Korea Times - Oct 19, 2026

A delegation of Chinese local government officials will visit Korea this week to explore ways to expand exchanges and cooperation between local governments, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday. The delegation, which comprises division-level officials from foreign affairs offices of Beijing, Guangdong, Jiangxi and other regions, will make a five-day visit through Friday to receive a briefing on bilateral relations, and visit industrial and cultural facilities, according to the ministry. Its itinerary also includes visits to the Saemangeum national industrial complex and relevant agencies to explore potential cooperation on the development project at the local government level. Saemangeum is a large-scale reclamation and development project on Korea's west coast aimed at creating an industrial, business and tourism hub. At a summit in November 2025, President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed ways to promote investment in the complex. The visit is part of the 2026 Korea-China Future-Oriented Exchange Program, which was launched in 1999 to invite Chinese local govern

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