Alberta Korea Relations
The economic trading partnership between the Province of Alberta, Canada and the Republic of Korea grew out of long standing ties between the two areas, starting with Alberta's twinning with Gangwon-do province in Korea in 1974.
Since the 1970s, the Alberta-Korea relationship has grown in such areas as business entrepreneurship and investment, commodities trading, education and immigration. Free trade negotiations between Canada and the Republic of Korea promise to open new economic arenas for Alberta and Korea.
Alberta knows Korea
- Alberta and its major cities have maintained strong ties with their Korean counterparts. Alberta has had a Sister Province Relationship with the Korean province of Gangwon-do since 1974. Edmonton, Alberta's capital city, has an association with Korea's Wonju City, and Alberta's financial capital Calgary has a Sister City Relationship with the city of Daejeon.
- The First, Second and Third Battalions of Alberta's Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry fought in the Korean War. The Second Battalion, trained in Calgary, distinguished themselves for their role in the Battle of Kapyong.
- The University of Alberta has several university associations with Korean universities including Yonsei University in Seoul.
- There has been an Alberta Korea Office in Korea since 1988. Alberta is the only Canadian Province that maintains a full-fledged trading office in Korea.
Koreans Living in Alberta
- Alberta has received at least 10 percent of Korean emigration to Canada over the past 10 years.
- In 2005, there were 100,660 Koreans living in Canada with close to 10 percent of the population living in Alberta.
- Korea is the largest source of foreign students studying in Alberta, and the second largest source of business immigrants.
For more on Alberta-Korea Relations and Trade, please see: