ANGELES CITY -- The Angeles City Government has forged a sister cityhood agreement with the Government of Seo-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City, a district of South Korea.

Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan and Seo-gu Mayor Kang Seong-Ho signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to establish the ties between the two cities.

Pamintuan, together with Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting and other city government officials, warmly welcomed the delegates from Seo-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City during the signing rites held at City Hall in Barangay Pulung Maragul here.

"I am very honored and happy with this agreement and I am grateful that you have chosen Angeles as one of your sister cities," Pamintuan told the Seo-gu delegation.

The mayor pointed out that the secret ingredients of a successful sister city relationship are “mutual faith, trust, sincere caring and sharing”.

For his part, Mayor Seong-Ho expressed appreciation to the kindness and great welcome accorded to them by the Angeles City Government.

“Even though we have different nationalities, Korea and the Philippines have similar painful historical memories. We have shared and helped each other in times of trouble,” Seong-Ho said.

Initially, he suggested that both cities will start fostering an “educational relationship” as more and more Korean nationals are coming over to the Philippines to pursue their studies and even learn the English language.

The Angeles City Council has approved Resolution No. 6147, series of 2012, needed for the formal establishment of the sisterhood pact.

For its part, the government of Seo-gu has also approved the formal establishment of “friendship” relations with Angeles City.

The MOA signed by Pamintuan and Seong-Ho stated, "Angeles City and Seo-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City will share a common desire to promote and foster strong special ties, mutual understanding, friendship and goodwill through exchanges in science and technology, culture and arts, tourism, planning and urban development, commerce/trade and industry, youth, education and sports, environmental protection, aquaculture, agriculture, public health and social services."

Seo-gu is the center of transportation which connects four major expressways in the west of Daegu that is located inland, southeast of the Korean Peninsula. It plays a pivotal role in the economy of South Korea having industrial complexes, dyeing corporations and fiber laboratories.