Gangwon - Alberta Relations This map is a generalized illustration only and is not intended to be used for reference purposes. The representation of political boundaries does not necessarily reflect the position of the Government of Alberta on international issues of recognition, sovereignty or jurisdiction. PROFILE than that of Canadian provinces. RELATIONSHIP OVERVIEW . There are 18 administrative districts in Capital: Chuncheon . The Alberta-Gangwon cooperation began in Gangwon (seven cities with populations over the 1970s with a joint beef ranching Population: 1.54 million (2014) (only 3.2 per 50,000 and 11 counties). cent of South Korea’s total population) demonstration project. Similar to parts of Alberta, Gangwon has . The 1974 formation of the Alberta-Gangwon Language: Korean heavily forested areas. Just under 20 per cent sister province relationship was the first for of the land in Gangwon is available for farming Government: Presidential System Alberta. Most activities have involved and other uses. Gangwon province has a land education, culture and sport exchanges, but Head of Government: Governor CHOI Moon- mass of 16,874 square kilometers; roughly 17 have expanded into research, science and soon (elected April 2011; re-elected June 2014 per cent of the total area in South Korea. technology, and business relations. and June 2018) Gangwon consists of about 81.6 per cent, or Currency: CAD $1 = 871.1 South Korean Won 13,782 km square km of forest. Only 8.4 per . As a Centennial gift to Alberta (2005), and to (2017 average) cent of the land is for farming, and 10 per cent mark the 30th anniversary of the Alberta- is for other uses. Gangwon sister province relationship (2004), Key Industry Sectors: Tourism, livestock, Gangwon constructed a wooden Korean-style agriculture, fishing, mining, manufacturing and . With a population of approximately 273,130 jeongja (pavilion) which is located on the bioengineering (2012), the capital city of Chuncheon has grounds of Government House. about 1/3 of the population of Edmonton. Sources: Bank of Canada, Economist Intelligence Unit, . In 2018, at the invitation of the Gangwon . Gangwon has sister province relationships Government of Gangwon government, Alberta sent three Indigenous with Mpumalanga in South Africa, Jilin in musicians, one of whom is a hoop-dancer, to China, Totori Prefecture in Japan, Primorskii DID YOU KNOW? perform on the sidelines of the Winter Territory in Russia and Colorado in the United Olympics. Pyeongchang County in the province of States. Gangwon hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics. An Alberta delegation, led by the Deputy . Gangwon Province is working to become a . Pyeongchang is located southeast of Seoul in Premier and the Mayor of Calgary, also "Global Bio & Healthcare Industrial Capital" the southern part of Gangwon’s Taebaek travelled to Gangwon for the 2018 Olympics, in and to create the foundation for encouraging Mountain region. At 700 meters above sea- part to assess the potential of a bid for Calgary low-carbon, green growth. level, Pyeongchang’s mountains are the to host the 2026 Winter Olympics. centre for winter sports and are referred to as . Part of Gangwon’s regional development . In July 2015, Vice-Governor KIM Jeongsam of “Korea’s Alps.” strategy is based on building a knowledge- Gangwon visited Edmonton where he and the . Gangwon was divided during the Korean War based industrial cluster through a multi-core Premier of Alberta signed the 40th anniversary (1950-53). One-third of the province’s former structure, with three core cities (Chuncheon, Protocol of Reaffirmation of the sister province territory is in North Korea. Wonju and Gangneung) forming a "Techno relationship between Gangwon and Alberta. Valley Triangle." . South Korean provinces have gained more autonomy since 1995 although the scope of their responsibilities still is considerably less December 2018 | Input provided by Alberta Ministries of: Agriculture and Forestry; Education; Energy; Economic Development and Trade; Culture and Tourism; Advanced Education . In 2012, Alberta and Gangwon signed an M & D, based in Gangwon. The project SPORTS AND CULTURE agreement for a friendship sport exchange focuses on measuring cancer cells and tissue between the provinces. samples to measure biomarker expression in . In February of 2018, Deputy Premier and the real-time. Minister of Culture & Tourism participated in TRADE AND INVESTMENT PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games 2018. Approximately $1.5 million has been . Trade between Alberta and Gangwon is limited contributed to 11 projects through the Alberta- . In June/July of 2015, a biathlon delegation, and indirect, mainly involving agriculture and Gangwon Collaboration Program since 2005. including ten athletes from Alberta, visited food products. Funding has supported researchers and/or Gangwon. companies in Alberta and Gangwon to ENERGY collaborate on various projects. In April 2015, a delegation from Gangwon visited Alberta and met with officials from the . Gangwon, with the best wind power resources EDUCATION Ministry of Seniors to discuss policies, service in Korea, has highly advantageous condition in practices and management/operation of developing the province into a wind power . In 2014, Alberta collaborated with Gangwon in facilities for senior citizens. generation hub in Korea. In 2015, Gangwon developing a Children’s Art Exhibition, deployed the largest number of wind power celebrating 40 years of international . In December 2014, Alberta hosted Gangwon plants in Korea with 125 units. The province partnership. athletes, coaches and government personnel plans to increase it by more than double by as part of an Alberta-Gangwon Biathlon 2018. Launched during International Education Week exchange. in 2017, the Think Globally Art Contest had AGRICULTURE students reflect and illustrate what Alberta’s . Since 1974, Alberta has participated in Olympic and Paralympic spirit meant to them, numerous sports exchanges with Gangwon, . During the PyeongChang Winter Olympic in celebration of the 2018 games in including alpine and nordic skiing, whitewater Games, Alberta provided Alberta beef at Pyeongchang. Postcards were created from canoeing, wrestling, golf, boxing, soccer, Canada Olympic House. the winning artwork, which were then tennis, team handball, fencing and cycling. distributed during and after the games to . In September 2017, a Canadian Agri-Food COMMUNITY Promotion event was held at the Alpensia various stakeholders. PyeongChang Resort in Gangwon province, . In spring 2017 and summer 2018, UCalgary . Approximately 12,340 Albertans are of Korean Korea. The event, organized by Alberta in offered a short-term English Language descent. partnership with the Canadian Embassy, and Learning Training Program for the Gangwon other provincial and industry partners, was . Active Korean community associations have Province Human Resource Development timed to begin with the “D-150 countdown” to been established in Calgary and Edmonton. In Centre (GHRDC). Government representatives the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic games addition to providing assistance to newly from the GHRDC completed English training in PyeongChang. The program on September arrived immigrants, these associations help to on campus. 12, included a reopening ceremony for the promote Korean culture and provide support to Alberta Wood Pavilion signage, wish wall for . In July 2015, UCalgary welcomed a delegation Korean business owners. the success of the games, Canada Culture from Gangwon to recognize their support of Zone, musical performances and an agri-food the Schulich School of Engineering research. promotion featuring Alberta beef. The partnership between Alberta and Gangwon includes joint funding of research, FORESTRY which benefits Schulich School of . The 40th anniversary of the Alberta-Gangwon Engineeringresearchers working in the area of sister province relationship was celebrated in biomedical engineering. 2014 with the unveiling of a wooden pavilion . Since 2012, Mount Royal University welcomed gifted from Alberta to Gangwon province. participants on the Global Leaders Program, a . The pavilion was constructed outside of the training program initiated by Gangwon Alpensia Resort, a VIP site where visiting Province in South Korea to train provincial dignitaries and media were housed during the government officials to be part of the 2018 2018 Winter Olympics. PyeongChang Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The wooden pavilion also continued the tradition of using wood in Centennial projects . Since 1984, UAlberta’s Kangwon Teachers of first used in the Korea-style jeongja, built Education Program has helped over 600 outside Government House in 2005 to Gangwon Province teachers hone their celebrate the 30th anniversary of the sister English language teaching skills. province relationship. As part of connections developed through the SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Alberta-Gangwon sister-province relationship, various Kangwon National University faculty . Alberta’s Ministry of Advanced Education members have spent time at UAlberta or are provides support for an international research alumni of UAlberta. collaboration between the University of Calgary (UCalgary) and the Korean company For more information, contact: Alberta Economic Development and Trade Phone: 780-427-6543 Fax: 780-427-0699 albertacanada.com economic.alberta.ca .