Lunch with the Governor of Jeonnam Province

In his speech at a special luncheon held at the MU Alumni Club, Governor Joon-Yung Park praised the sister-state relationship between Missouri and Jeonnam Province , as well as the academic relationship between the University of Missouri and Chonnam National University (CNU) and Suncheon National University (SNU).

The partnership agreement between MU and Chonnam National University was signed in 1978 and was one of MU’s first international agreements. In 2005, MU Chancellor Brady Deaton received an honorary doctorate from CNU. The ties between Missouri and Jeonnam Province also include the city of Columbia , which is the sister-city of Suncheon.

Gov. Park holds a Ph.D in Politics and a Master’s Degree in Journalism. He was chief editor of the Editorial Bureau for Joongang Ilbo, director of the Korean Overseas Information Service, and Chief Press Secretary for President Kim Dae-Jung before being elected the 34th governor of Jeonnam Province. In July, 2006 he was re-elected governor.

On hand for the lunch to welcome the delegation were MU Chancellor Brady Deaton, Vice Provost Handy Williamson, Korean regional government officials, academicians, CNU alumni and Asian Affairs staff.

Before returning to Korea , Governor Park met with officials from Boeing and Monsanto in St. Louis ; had dinner with UN Secretary General Ki-moon Ban in New York City ; and met with U.S. House of Representatives in Washington D.C.