Shanghai Senior Official Makes First Seoul Visit Since Pandemic; Cities to Share Nighttime Economy Experience

[Financial News] Seoul Metropolitan Government and Shanghai will expand exchanges and cooperation across various fields, including the economy and industry, culture and tourism. In particular, the two cities agreed to share their experiences in promoting the nighttime economy and developing commercial districts, while exploring ways to cooperate. Seoul Metropolitan Government said on the 22nd that Jung Sang-hoon, First Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs, and Lu Shan, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, met on the 21st to discuss ways to expand exchanges and cooperation in the economy and industry, culture and tourism, youth affairs and other areas. This visit marked the first trip to Seoul by a senior Shanghai official since the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the meeting, the two cities shared their urban policy experiences, focusing on upgrading commercial districts and promoting the nighttime economy. Shanghai is pursuing policies to develop new commercial districts, while Seoul has announced its "Seoul, a 24-Hour Vibrant Economic City" plan and is working to boost the nighttime economy.
Seoul and Shanghai have continued exchanges in various fields, including urban management, transportation, the arts, tourism and talent development, since establishing a friendship-city partnership in 2014. As exchanges that had declined during the COVID-19 pandemic recover, the two cities plan to broaden their cooperation further into the economy and industry, culture and tourism, and other areas.
Citizen exchanges between the two cities have also grown more active recently. The number of tourists visiting Shanghai, particularly among younger Koreans, is increasing, while Shanghai has continued cultural exchanges by sending traditional performance troupes to the Seoul Friendship Festival in 2024 and this year.
During his visit to South Korea, Vice Mayor Lu Shan attended the Shanghai Economic and Trade Investment Briefing. The Shanghai delegation also toured the Myeong-dong commercial district to examine Seoul's consumer and tourism spaces.
Jung Sang-hoon, First Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs of Seoul Metropolitan Government, said, "Taking this meeting as an opportunity, we will expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields—including the economy and industry, as well as culture and tourism and youth affairs—so that companies and citizens in both cities can meet and communicate more often."

[email protected] Seong Cho-rong Reporter