Local leaders welcomed Kim Doo-gyum, mayor of the port city of Ulsan, South Korea (front row, center), to the Spring Branch Management District recently at a reception at Seoul Garden restaurant on Long Point Road. Greeters included Houston Council Member Julian Ramirez (in light gray suit to the mayor’s left).

Ulsan’s status as Houston’s newest official sister city encourages trade and cultural exchanges between the two cities; Spring Branch is the Houston area’s cradle of businesses owned by Korean-Americans — and home to the biggest local cluster of Korean restaurants.

Learn more at sbmd.org/korean.

Spring Branch Management District board member Casey Kang serves as chairman and past president of the Korean American Chamber of Commerce of Houston; he and new president Ethan Lee participated in the reception.