▲ The representatives of local governments of Korea, China and Japan discussed exchanges and cooperation across many areas including economy and culture at the Conference of Local Governments of Korea, China and Japan held in Nara-ken, Japan.

On October 26, 2009, the Conference of Proponents of Local Governments in East Asia was held in Nara-ken, Japan.

Participating in the conference were a total of 19 local governments including six from Korea including Chungnam, six from China including Jiangsu Sheng, and seven from Japan including Shizuoka-ken. They exchanged in-depth opinions about the roles and tasks of local governments in East Asia.

The conference was one of the projects to commemorate the 1300th anniversary of Heijo Sento in Nara-ken, and the participants engaged in such activities as presenting their current states and tasks, discussing them, and searching for potential and prospects of an East Asian community through culture.

EU has successfully settled down as a regional community beyond nationalities and nations across Europe. Sharing more than 3,000 years of history, Korea, China, and Japan need to understand their common culture to establish a political and economic community, according to the participants.

At the conference, former provincial governor Mr. Lee Wan-gu presented the policy directions and cases of

Chungnam to lead Korea’s growth based on its creativity under the theme of “Chungnam’s Roles and Tasks for Korea’s Growth in the 21st Century.”

When the Great Baekje World Festivall to be held in Chungnam in 2010 was introduced to the delegates of the East Asian local governments and the officials from the central Japanese government, they showed great responses to it.