Celebrating 60 Years of Partnership: Wonju, South Korea, and Roanoke, Virginia, USA

In May 1964, Roanoke Mayor Murray A. Stoller and City Council proclaimed Wonju, South Korea, Roanoke’s first sister city, paving the way for six decades of remarkable cross-cultural exchanges and international partnerships. The proclamation was made after Mayor Stoller and Dr. Hugh H. Trout, Jr., received an inquiry letter from Korean surgeon Dr. Young U. Kim, who worked at Jefferson Hospital from 1956 to 1959.

Meaningful connections, built on kindness and generosity, between Dr. Kim and the people of the Roanoke Valley inspired Dr. Kim’s letter, following Wonju Mayor Han Dong-Seuk’s interest in furthering his city’s relationships in America.

Since 1964, the Roanoke Valley Sister Cities program has grown to have a total of seven sister cities (Wonju, South Korea, 1964; Kisumu, Kenya, 1976; Pskov, Russia, 1992; Florianópolis, Brazil, 1995; Opole, Poland, 1995; Saint-Lô, France, 1995; and Lijiang, China, 1996), strengthening relationships across four continents. The organization is devoted to fostering and encouraging mutual understanding, friendship, and peace through cultural, medical, economic, educational, and professional exchanges among the people of the Roanoke Valley and the citizens of its twinned cities.

Wonju, located about 87 miles southeast of South Korea’s capital, Seoul, has diverse cultural and industrial resources. Situated between the Chiaksan Mountain Range and the Seomgang River, the city is a popular destination for hiking and outdoor activities. Wonju is also known as the “home of Hanji,” traditional handmade Korean paper that is created from the inner bark of the mulberry tree. To celebrate the ancient art of papermaking, Wonju annually holds the Hanji Festival.