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A youth delegation from Gangneung, South Korea, visited Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, on Aug 11 to explore historical ties between the two cities and take part in cultural and educational exchanges.

Jiaxing and Gangneung became international sister cities in 1999. Their relationship traces back to Kim Koo's wartime history. Kim Koo, a prominent Korean independence activist, took refuge in Jiaxing with the help of Chu Fucheng, a patriotic figure from Jiaxing. This year, the two cities mark the 27th anniversary of their sister-city relationship and the 150th anniversary of Kim Koo's birth.

During the visit, the students toured Kim Koo's former refuge on Meiwan Street in downtown Jiaxing and Zaiqing Villa in Haiyan county, gaining insights into his time there and the history of the Korean Provisional Government.

The delegation also joined students from Jishui Primary School and Tsinghua University High School Jiaxing in cultural activities, including traditional rubbing and black pottery making. Despite language barriers, the students communicated through gestures and translation apps, quickly forming friendships.

The delegation leader, Choi Hyeon-seon, said youth exchanges between the two cities started in 2005, involving over 100 students across 10 visits. She hoped expanding these programs would deepen people-to-people ties between Jiaxing and Gangneung.

The visit will continue through Aug 13, with the delegation scheduled to visit Nanhu Lake and Xujiadai village, known for its baseball culture, to experience Jiaxing's history, culture, and rural development firsthand.