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Warnick joins Grant County delegation to South Korea
On April 28,
Rep. Judy Warnick
will head to South Korea with a delegation from Grant County to visit
the county's sister city of GunPo. The delegation will include two Grant
County commissioners, members from the Economic Development Council, and
representatives from the Moses Lake Planning Commission and city of
Ephrata.
GunPo is located in the
northern part of the country near the capitol city of Seoul. Delegations
from GunPo and Grant County take turns every year visiting each other as
part of their sister city agreement.
"Grant County is becoming
an international place for businesses," said Warnick, R-Moses Lake.
"We're exporting more agricultural products to Asian countries every
year. These trips are important to develop strong trade partnerships."
During the week-long visit
from April 28 to May 5, the Grant County delegation will be:
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visiting a university
and technical trade school;
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touring several
industrial and medical companies and a dairy farm;
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visiting the
de-militarized zone which separates North and South Korea; and
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attending a festival,
watching a taekwondo presentation and visiting a palace.
"This is a great way we
can continue to discuss and improve our trade partnership with them,"
Warnick said. "Maintaining connections with this city is important,
because GunPo is rapidly growing. Our county can and does benefit from
such great demand."
Warnick's trip will be
personally financed, so taxpayer dollars will not be used. She will also
be bringing her sister-in-law, Mitja Stansfield. Stansfield was born in
Seoul and adopted as a toddler by Warnick's in-laws. Since being
adopted, Stansfield has not been back. Warnick said Stansfield was excited
to see the country where she was born and understand more about the
Korean culture.
"I'm excited to go with
her, because it will be a different kind of trip for us," Warnick said.
"She will have a unique outlook on the visit."
Warnick said she and
Stansfield also hope to visit the orphanage where her sister-in-law was
adopted.
Another part of the sister
city agreement with GunPo is a youth exchange each summer with high
school students for two weeks.
"Our sister city agreement
benefits not only our county's economy, but is great for our youth to be
immersed in another culture," Warnick said. "This trip was an
opportunity I couldn't pass up."
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For more information, contact:
Sarah Lamb, Public Information
Officer - (360) 786-7720
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