Introduction of NEAR

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NEAR

The Association of Northeast Asia Regional Governments Regional Network Leading Sustainable Development

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NEAR

NEAR is a regional cooperative organization composed of regional governments - States, Provinces, Prefectures, Aimags, and Metropolitan Cities - from six countries, including the People's Republic of China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, DPR Korea, Mongolia, and the Russian Federation, for co-prosperity, exchange, and cooperation in Northeast Asia.

Since its founding in 1996, NEAR has been joined by 71 regional governments from six countries, encompassing 446 million populations, and GRDP of $2.9 trillion, in partnership with five observer regional governments, two international cooperative regional organizations - the Assembly of European Regions (AER) and the Regions of Climate Action (R20) - and regional professional research institutes.

The Association of Northeast Asia Regional Governments

Regional Network Leading Sustainable Development

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Goals and Principles

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Article 2 of NEAR Charter 1

“In the spirit of reciprocity and equity, the Association has the purposes of pursuing co-development of the Northeast Asian Region and, at the same time, contributing to world peace by building trust on mutual understanding through the establishment of networks for exchanges and cooperation among member regional governments."

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NEAR Inaugural General Assembly 1996 The First NEAR Working Committee Meeting 1997 ▼

With advances in transportation, information, and communication, and a certain level of international détente, exchange beyond borders is gradually livening up. The era when regionalization is the key indicator to secure national competitiveness and regional development beyond national boundaries is on its way.

Northeast Asia is an area that has historically and geographically close relations along with unlimited potential. The Association of Northeast Asia Regional Governments(NEAR) was founded as a joint pathway to lead exchange and cooperation in Northeast Asian Regions becoming one of the 21st century’s three economic pillars in the world.

The Association of Northeast Asia Regional Governments

Mission and Core Value

Vision

To pursue the co-development of Northeast Asian regions and to contribute to world peace

•To facilitate the exchange and solidarity of Northeast Asia through the sharing of knowledge and experience, and participation by young people as partners in regional growth

Mission

•To find practical ways for co-prosperity through providing balanced growth strategies, expertise, and information •To contribute to reinforcing international competitiveness through international cooperative networks expanding partnerships that meet its values

Core Value

NEAR pursues

•Reciprocity & Equity •Trust & Respect •Exchange & Cooperation •Peace & Prosperity

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Regional Network Leading Sustainable Development

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Organization General Assembly The General Assembly is the supreme legislative body of the Association, which consists of representatives of member regions, and is held every two years. The General Assembly amends the charter, plans projects, and approves member admission.

The Working Committee Consisting of director-general level senior officials of the member regional governments, the Working Committee reviews matters delegated by the General Assembly, project plans, and individual projects, and decides the relevant matters with the establishment and integration of the SubCommittees.

Sub-Committees The Sub-Committees are supporting bodies of the Working Committee and are organized, in each area, to aid local development. Each SubCommittee has a coordinator region that is in charge of liaison and operation.

The Secretariat The Secretariat holds and gives operational support for the General Assembly, the Working Committee, and Sub-Committees; manages the NEAR International Forum, the Working-level Workshop, and PioNEAR(Youth Internship Program); publishes NEAR News, Annual Report, and White Paters; and manages the DB and website.

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Activities General Assembly

General Assembly decides the appointment of auditors, the approval of budget, project plans, the resolution of member admission and dismissal, membership fees, amendments to the Charter, the termination and liquidation of the organization, matters regarding the holding of the next General Assembly, and the execution of various project plans.

Working Committee

Working Committee decides upon the discussion of project plans and individual projects, the preparation of the annual report and the financial report, the coordination of opinions among the member regional governments, the establishment of Sub-Committees, and matters delegated by the General Assembly.

Sub-Committees

As supporting bodies of the Working Committee, Sub-Committees are organized and operated in each area to support the efficient implementation of individual projects and tasks proposed by the NEAR meetings.

Group I

(Sub-Committees / Coordinator / Details of Sub-Committees) Sub-Committee on Economy and Humanities Exchange (Gyoengsangbuk-do Province, South Korea) * Discuss strategies and plans for cooperation to open the era of co-prosperous Northeast Asia through mutually integrating economies with humanities exchange Sub-Committee on Agriculture (Jeollanam-do Province, South Korea) * Promote the exchange of information and technology related to agriculture, such as production of environmentally friendly agricultural products, joint-research in agricultural projects, and the development of technology for agricultural products in order to produce and provide safe products Sub-Committee on Ocean and Fishery (Shandong Province, China) * Establish an environmentally friendly development model in oceans and fisheries, facilitate academic exchange and cooperation, develop and protect oceans, prepare for ocean disasters, and establish an efficient mechanism among members to enhance exchange and cooperation in oceans and fisheries Sub-Committee on Mineral Resources Development and Coordination (Magadan Region, Russia) * Promote mutual development through mineral resources development and coordination and discuss to exchange technologies in mineral resources co-development and follow-up control Sub-Committee on Cross-border Cooperation (Irkutsk Region, Russia) * To expand cooperation in economies and trade and facilitate tourism industries in crossborder areas, introduce joint legislation on cross-border cooperation and trade, simplify visa agreement systems, and promote investment facilitation

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Group II Sub-Committee on Science & Technology (Gyeonggi-do Province, South Korea) * Organize workshops regarding joint development and science and technology policies; promote global R&D clusters in future growth sectors, such as IT, BT, NY; and foster talent in the field of science and technology in Northeast Asia Sub-Committee on Bio-medical Industry (Chungchengbuk-do Province, South Korea) * Establishing networks for exchange and cooperation, discuss plans for co-development of bio and medical industries, including life science, oriental bio industry, and the medical device industry Sub-Committee on Energy & Climate Change (Daegu Metropolitan City, South Korea) * To prepare for technology exchange and climate change, promote technology exchange in energy-related projects among member regions for green growth, including policy exchange and dissemination of best practices Sub-Committee on Environment (Toyama Prefecture, Japan) * To efficiently implement individual environmental projects, carry out joint research, youth environmental seminars, and international environmental protection seminars Sub-Committee on Disaster Prevention (Hyogo Prefecture, Japan) * Implement projects to exchange information and human resources to supplement each member region’s different capacity to cope with different natural disasters with the aim of improving disaster prevention ability

Group III Sub-Committee on Educational & Cultural Exchange (Shimane Prefecture, Japan) * Promote establishment of a new network in Northeast Asia through a youth exchange project to deepen mutual understanding and friendship exchange, the invitation of traditional art performance groups, and exchange activities with residents Sub-Committee on Women and Children (Dornod Aimag, Mongolia) * To protect the rights and interests of women and children, promote a variety of projects, such as the organization of meetings for women in member regions and cultural events related to women and children issues, exchange of mutual experiences, and international exchange Sub-Committee on Tourism (Henan Province, China) * Establish a long-term and efficient tourism mechanism by promoting tourism industry development, sharing tourism information, exchanging tourism, and promoting cooperation among local tourism agencies Sub-Committee on Sports (Republic of Sakha, Russia) * Hold youth sports festivals through sports exchange among member regions and provide the opportunity to promote traditional sports and preservation plans for sports

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Programs International Forum

Gathered by expert groups for co-prosperity in Northeast Asia, the International Forum seeks practical solutions to the problems that member regions in Northeast Asia are facing and discusses the role of regional governments.

The Working Committee

The Working Committee provides an opportunity to efficiently promote projects by discussing the plans for exchange and cooperation among member regions and the sharing of their experiences.

Youth Internship Program (PioNEAR)

The Youth Internship Program (PioNEAR), as an exchange program between young people and enterprises within member regions, facilitates networks and cultural exchange by discovering the next generation’s talents within member regions, and nurturing local talent.

Youth Essay Contest

The Youth Essay Contest gives young leaders of the future a vision for co-prosperity and development, and exchange and cooperation in Northeast Asia.

Publications

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The Secretariat Since its founding, the Secretariat had adopted a Circulating Secretariat operation till 2005. The Standing Secretariat has been established in Pohang City, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and operated since then.

The organization consists of one bureau and two divisions - Director General and two divisions including Planning and General Affairs and International Cooperation. Seconded public officials from member regional governments of the People's Republic of China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, and the Russian Federation are working with experts in five languages and in English.

The Secretariat focuses on operational support for the General Assembly, the Working Committee, and Sub-Committees, holding the Working-level Workshop and the International Forum, and operating the Internship Program (PioNEAR). In addition, the Secretariat publishes NEAR News, compiles DB, and manages the organization’s web presence.

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�Member of Regional Governments 6

Russia 1. Republic of Buryatia 2. Republic of Sakha(Yakutia) 3. Republic of Tuva 4. Altai Territory 5. Zabaikalsky Territory 6. Krasnoyarsk Territory 7. Primorsky Territory 8. Khabarovsk Territory 9. Amur Region 10. Irkutsk Region 11. Kamchatka Territory 12. Magadan Region 13. Sakhalin Region 14. Tomsk Region

Russia

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Mongolia 6

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Mongolia 1. Ulaanbaatar City 2. Arkhangai Aimag 3. Bayan-Ulgii Aimag 4. Bayankhongor Aimag 5. Bulgan Aimag 6. Govi-Altai Aimag 7. Govisumber Aimag 8. Darkhan-Uul Aimag 9. Dornod Aimag 10. Dornogovi Aimag 11. Dundgovi Aimag 12. Zavkhan Aimag 13. Orkhon Aimag 14. Uvurkhangai Aimag 15. Umnugovi Aimag 16. Sukhbaatar Aimag 17. Selenge Aimag 18. Tuv Aimag 19. Uvs Aimag 20. Khovd Aimag 21. Khentii Aimag 22. Khuvsgul Aimag

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Partnership

Regions of Climate Action (R20)

Assembly of European Regions (AER)

Founded by global leaders in cooperation with the United Nations, R20 aims to help the regional governments develop projects, policies, and best practices for lowcarbon green growth economic development and implement it in order to cope with climate change. regions20.org

Established in 1985 to pursue coprosperity and subsidiarity, AER brings together nearly 230 regional governments from 35 countries, and is located in Strasbourg, Alsace, France. www.aer.eu

Regional Network Leading Sustainable Development

DPR Korea

11

DPR Korea

DPR Korea

1. Hamgyeongbuk-do Province

DPR Korea

2. Rasun City

Rep. of Korea 2

1. Busan Metropolitan City 2. Daegu Metropolitan City 3. Incheon Metropolitan City 4. Daejeon Metropolitan City 5. Gwangju Metropolitan City 6. Ulsan Metropolitan City 7. Gyeonggi-do Province 8. Gangwon-do Province 9. Chungcheongbuk-do Province 10. Chungcheongnam-do Province 11. Jeollabuk-do Province 12. Jeollanam-do Province 13. Gyeongsangbuk-do Province 14. Gyeongsangnam-do Province 15. Sejong Special Self-Governing City 16. Jeju Special Self-Governing Province

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11 9

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Japan 1. Aomori Prefecture 2. Yamagata Prefecture 3. Niigata Prefecture 4. Toyama Prefecture 5. Ishikawa Prefecture 6. Fukui Prefecture 7. Kyoto Prefecture 8. Hyogo Prefecture 9. Tottori Prefecture 10. Shimane Prefecture

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Korea

Rep. of Korea

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Japan

11 15

11. Yamaguchi Prefecture *

China 1. Heilongjiang Province 2. Henan Province 3. Hubei Province 4. Hunan Province 5. Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 6. Shandong province 7. Shenyang province * 8. Shaanxi province (陕西) * 9. Shaanxi province (山西) * 10. Tianjin *

The Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Established as the Russian National Policy Research Institution and National University, the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences is mainly concerned with research on orientalism, and regions from the west coast of North Africa to the Pacific Islands.

The institute has nine research centers and eleven colleges. www.ivran.ru

*

Observer

The Association of North East Asia Regional Governments 3F Pohang Technopark, #394 Jigok-ro (#601 Jigok-dong), Namgu, Pohang City, Gyeongsangbuk-do, ROK

T. +82-54-223-2308, 2324 F. +82-54-223-2309 E-mail near@neargov.org

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