Gyeongju is the famous historical city in South Korea, which is located in North Gyeongsang Province with total area of over 13,000 square kilometers and a population of 300,000. The city attracts as many as nine million visitors or above each year, for it is not only the cultural tourism city with world reputation, but contains a large number of historical sites built in ancient Silla (57BC-935AD) as well. As part of the world cultural heritage, historical interests can be founded everywhere in the city (hence its honor—a historical museum without a roof).

　　Gyeongju boasts of its advantageous natural environment, which is surrounded on three sides by high mountains except for the east on the ocean side. Apart from the tourism, the animal husbandry and fishery is generally regarded as one of its pillar industries there, whose breeding base of Korean cattle, also the largest one in South Korea, can produce the best beef to grace Korean’s tables. Due to its neighbor city—Ulsan, the Motor City in South Korea, the auto parts industry in Gyeongju enjoys a high level of prosperity, more than 700 businesses engaged mainly in the work of producing fiber and auto parts. Owing to its long history and rich cultural tradition as well as beautiful natural environment, it has been frequently chosen as the host city of the international convention or exhibition center, which leads to the rapid development of its characteristic economy, exhibition economy, in recent years.

　　Gyeongju signed the agreement of sister cities with Xi’an and Yangzhou respectively in 1994, and 2008.

　　Communication and Exchanges with Yichang

　　The real communication and exchanges with Gyeongju started in 2011, when the president of the Uiduk University, introduced by the Prof. Lee , the then Secretary-general of the Association of the North East Asia Regional Governments, signed the Exchange and Cooperation Agreement with CTGU after attending the 8th Annual Meeting of the Global Alliance (the News Association) for Colleges and Universities. And now through the exchange program, teachers from both sides have been able to give lectures between two schools. In October, 2011, when Li Lecheng, who was then Yichang’s Mayor, with his delegation paid a visit to Gyeongju, he was warmly received by his counterpart Mr. Choi Yang-sik and visited the Gyeongju Industrial Park before reaching a consensus on the issue of establishing sister cities between both sides. In May, 2012, the Vice Mayor of Yichang Zhang Zhengjun made another visit and, continued to compare notes with Mr. Choi in the areas of common interests, such as tourism, technology and information, culture and education, etc. Two months later, at the invitation of Gyeongju Government, the delegation of Yichang took part in the Forum of International Tourism Cities held in Gyeongju and received positive response among the delegates present at the meeting after delivering a speech titled “On the Feasibility of Integrating Yichang’s Tourism into the Network of Asia Tourism”. After that, the invitation letter from Yichang’s Mayor Li Lecheng was handed over to Mr. Choi Yang-sik. This time, Mr. Choi Yang-sik is intended to sign the Sister Cities Cooperation Agreement with Yichang Government during his official visit to Yichang.