Medellín and South Korea Strengthen Ties Through Education, Innovation, and Cooperation

Medellín and South Korea maintain a very close relationship; the Asian country is one of its main allies. The official visit by a delegation from Chuncheon strengthened the cooperation agenda in education, innovation, science, and technology and laid the groundwork for the 2026 cooperation project, which focuses on digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and urban innovation.

The delegation held meetings with Ruta N and other district entities to advance the development of a project focused on initiatives in innovation, artificial intelligence, smart cities, and digital transformation.

“We are celebrating 10 years of the sister city relationship between Medellín and Chuncheon, a partnership that has demonstrated that international cooperation yields concrete results. Thanks to our relationship with South Korea, one of our key strategic allies, we have promoted high-impact projects in mobility and the circular economy. We continue to make progress on a cooperation project with Ruta N, an initiative that reflects a relationship built on trust, knowledge sharing, and innovation,” said Cristina Zambrano Restrepo, executive director of ACI Medellín.

This Asian country is one of the main international partners of the capital of Antioquia, along with the United States and Spain.

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Una publicación compartida de ACI Medellín (@acimedellin)

As the coordinator of Medellín’s science, technology, and innovation ecosystem, Ruta N fosters the city’s connections with international partners to attract knowledge, investment, and opportunities for cooperation. Thanks to this work, the District is strengthening its capacity to develop joint projects in areas such as artificial intelligence, digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and smart cities, turning international cooperation into opportunities to improve people’s quality of life.

With more than $28.29 million in international cooperation funding provided by South Korea since 2009, the country has established itself as one of Medellín’s key partners, alongside the United States and Spain. Among the milestones of this partnership are the Integrated Traffic and Transportation Center (Citra)—a model for smart mobility that received nearly $12 million in funding— and the agreement signed this year with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to promote the circular economy and integrated waste management—considered one of the most significant international cooperation agreements signed by Medellín in its recent history, totaling $11.2 million.

South Korea will be the guest of honor at the 2026 Medellín Book Festival.

The relationship extends beyond technical and economic ties. In 2026, South Korea will be the guest of honor at the Medellín Book Events, as part of the celebration marking the 20th anniversary of the Festival of Books and Culture. A delegation of Korean writers, illustrators, and artists will participate in the cultural program, and the country will have its own pavilion at the Botanical Garden.