Hanam City (Mayor Lee Hyeon-jae) announced that on the 13th, a high-level delegation from Glendale, California, USA, visited the city to discuss expanded economic, cultural, and tourism cooperation between the two municipalities.
The delegation included Glendale Mayor Ara James Najarian, Vice Mayor Rubik Golanian, and Lee Chang-yeop, chairman of the Glendale Sister Cities Committee. This meeting marked the first official exchange aimed at establishing a long-term foundation for a strengthened international partnership.
Glendale, a major economic hub in Los Angeles County, is home to global content leaders such as DreamWorks Animation and Marvel Animation, as well as large-scale commercial destinations like Americana at Brand. The city boasts strong cultural and industrial competitiveness, making it a meaningful partner for Hanam City as it expands global collaboration.
Wide-Ranging Cooperation Topics Discussed
During the meeting, the two cities explored diverse cooperation opportunities, including:
- Investment and participation in Hanam’s major development initiatives, especially the flagship K-Star World project.
- Joint educational exchanges and workforce development, leveraging Glendale’s robust animation and content-production infrastructure.
- Co-hosted cultural festivals and creative events highlighting both cities’ arts and entertainment sectors.
- Expanded tourism collaboration, such as dual-city travel programs, promotional campaigns connecting cultural attractions, and joint marketing designed to attract international visitors.
Mayor Lee highlighted Hanam City’s achievements, noting that the city has been selected as the top institution for four consecutive years in the national comprehensive civil service evaluation and is the first in the nation to receive the Presidential Citation two years in a row. “We are expanding global exchanges based on administrative capabilities proven in transportation, culture, education, and various other fields,” he emphasized.
He also personally introduced K-Star World, the city’s signature cultural-content complex, expressing plans to develop it into a next-generation hub leading the KRW 300 trillion K-content market. Additionally, Mayor Lee proposed experiential programs enabling talented youth from Hanam—home to Korea’s only animation-focused high school—to gain hands-on training at production studios such as DreamWorks and Marvel Animation in Glendale. The Glendale delegation responded positively.
Delegation Tours Key Sites in Hanam
After the meeting, the Glendale representatives visited the Union Tower Observatory to view the K-Star World project site, followed by the Misa Hangang Sand Road and Starfield Hanam. Through these visits, the delegation gained a deeper understanding of Hanam’s natural landscapes, urban development potential, and strong consumer economy.
As discussions broadened, Hanam officials also introduced tourism initiatives such as:
- Integrated cultural-tourism routes connecting Misa Hangang Park, Geomdansan trails, and key entertainment districts.
- Potential exchange programs for traditional culture, including showcasing Korean festivals in Glendale and inviting U.S. visitors to Hanam’s local heritage sites.
- Opportunities for joint promotional campaigns targeting travelers interested in K-culture, animation, and entertainment-based tourism.
Positive Outlook for Future Collaboration
Glendale Mayor Ara Nazarian expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “I am delighted to discover that Mayor Lee and I are both USC alumni. Moreover, the combination of Hanam City’s strong K-culture growth potential and the global content-production ecosystem presented today is highly attractive.”
He added that Glendale will carefully review Hanam’s proposals and expressed optimism that the synergy between Glendale’s world-class companies and Hanam’s expanding cultural industry could lead to impactful cooperation.
Mayor Lee concluded, “I hope this meeting becomes the starting point for both cities to combine their strengths and grow together as global cultural cities. Hanam City will continue expanding international cooperation, cultural exchanges, and tourism partnerships to position itself firmly as a K-culture hub.”
