South Chungcheong Province is embarking on its first official overseas trip under the 9th popular election term, setting its sights on securing foreign investment, expanding international cooperation for the upcoming World Youth Day, and laying the groundwork to establish the province as South Korea's artificial intelligence (AI) capital. 

Governor Park Soo-hyun announced during a press briefing at the provincial government press center on August 20 that he will embark on an 8-day, 6-night tour of Germany and Italy starting August 22. "We will focus on delivering three major milestones for the future of South Chungcheong: attracting investment, fostering cooperation for the World Youth Day, and collaborating with the UN AI Hub," Governor Park stated. 

The itinerary begins in Germany, where the Governor will meet with the Association of Chungcheong Residents in Germany in Frankfurt to express gratitude for their continuous support toward their homeland. On August 24, he will hold discussions with South Korean business leaders operating in Germany to understand local economic trends and explore strategies for expanding European market entry for provincial companies. 

Governor Park will then visit the BASF headquarters in Ludwigshafen, a premier industrial hub in Germany, to discuss investment status and explore further cooperative ventures with top executives. On August 25, the delegation will sign the 9th popular election term's first foreign direct investment (FDI) agreement in Frankfurt. Under the agreement, global battery enterprise W Company will establish a new battery pack manufacturing line within the Dangjin Songsan Foreign Investment Zone. This milestone is expected to significantly reinforce the local industrial ecosystem and generate quality jobs. Additional events on this day include a meeting with European enterprises already invested in South Chungcheong's semiconductor, secondary battery, and chemical sectors, as well as encouraging local small and medium-sized enterprises participating in the Chungcheongnam-do Export Consultation Fair. 

Transitioning to Italy on August 26, Governor Park will visit the Vatican to meet with high-ranking Holy See officials, including Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik. The meetings will focus on promoting the province's Catholic cultural heritage—highlighting landmarks such as the Haemi International Sanctuary—and discussing international cooperative measures for the successful hosting of the upcoming World Youth Day. The Governor plans to convey hopes for Pope Leo XIV to visit South Chungcheong during next year's event. 

On August 27, Governor Park will visit the UN AI Hub in Rome to review global AI policy trends and introduce South Chungcheong's vision to become the nation's premier AI capital. He emphasized intentions to build a global cooperation platform in the province to drive an "AI basic society" encompassing medicine, education, caregiving, and climate response. 

Concluding his trip in northern Italy, Governor Park will visit the Emilia-Romagna regional government office in Bologna on August 28 to meet with President Michele de Pascale, opening formal channels for inter-regional exchange. The leaders will share industrial strengths and discuss practical bilateral cooperation in economy, industry, culture, and tourism before the delegation's return.

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