The 2002 Seoul Metropolis congress opened Tuesday with representatives from some 50 cities here to address common problems and exchange ideas for solutions. Arranged under the theme "Metropolitan Governance in the New Millennium," more than 370 representatives will attend the four-day conference which is divided into workshops, an award ceremony and city tours. The Metropolis Congress first convened in 1985 in Montreal to tackle urban issues and meets every three years. Seoul joined the group in 1987. This year's key agendas cover new demands on metropolitan life and new approaches to metropolitan governance. Workshops will deal with sub-themes such as culture, environment, civic participation, transparent city management and reforms. The congress will then hear reports Wednesday on the impacts of sports and cultural events on cities, urban poverty reduction, water quality improvement and the information society. The plenary session opens on Thursday to give the Metropolis Award to the best city project and to declare a Seoul Declaration on the future vision for metropolitan cities. Participants will be given tours of downtown Seoul and attend the opening ceremony of the World Cup finals on Friday.