The friendship between Chuncheon in Gangwon Province and its sister city Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is expanding into medical technology cooperation.
The development is notable for extending the two cities' existing international partnership beyond cultural and administrative ties into the health and medical sector.
The cooperation is expected to grow across all fronts. Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, is the continent's central city and home to the headquarters of the African Union — the African equivalent of the EU.
During the Korean War, Ethiopian forces were deployed to combat zones centered on Chuncheon. Drawing on their experience repelling Italian imperialism just before the war, they went undefeated across 253 engagements on the Korean Peninsula. They fought with fierce determination — 121 soldiers were killed and 536 wounded — yet not a single soldier was taken prisoner.
The Ethiopia Memorial Hall on Gongjicheon stream in Chuncheon preserves the record of that wartime bond, but it has also become a romantic gathering spot where young visitors share coffee and conversation over Ethiopian brews. The blossoming of that blood-forged friendship into wide-ranging cooperation is a source of pride for Chuncheon residents and Koreans alike.
Chuncheon is hosting medical professionals from Addis Ababa for a specialized health and medical training program in partnership with Kangwon National University Hospital, running through Oct. 23.
Participating in the program is Misganaou Tesfa Gebretsadik, a urology specialist at Yekatit 12 Hospital in Addis Ababa.
The trainee arrived Sunday and met with Chuncheon Deputy Mayor Hyun Jun-tae on Monday. Through Oct. 23, he will observe consultations, diagnostic procedures and surgeries at the urology department of Kangwon National University Hospital to gain hands-on clinical experience.
Urological diagnostic and surgical equipment in Ethiopia is limited, with cystoscopy being one of the few tools available.
The training program therefore focuses on exposure to a wide range of equipment and procedures, as well as the full continuum of patient care — from diagnosis through treatment to recovery.
The trainee will also visit the Chuncheon Public Health Center and other facilities to observe local public health administration firsthand.
Chuncheon worked with Kangwon National University Hospital to develop the training curriculum and handled the necessary logistics and accommodation support to ensure the visiting medical professional could participate without disruption.
"This medical training program will be a meaningful opportunity to broaden our friendly cooperation into the health and medical field and to share medical expertise and experience," a Chuncheon city official said. "We will continue to actively pursue exchange projects that leverage our international cooperation network and deliver tangible results."
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