Busan is good

10th Our Ocean Conference Opens Today (April 29) in Busan, the Global Maritime Hub City

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The Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that the 10th Our Ocean Conference (OOC) will hold its opening ceremony today (April 29) at 9:30 a.m. at the BEXCO Auditorium.

• ●The opening ceremony will be attended by approximately 2,000 participants, including Mayor Park Heong-joon,
  Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kang Do-hyung, former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, UN Special Envoy for the Ocean Peter Thomson,
  and ministers and vice-ministers from 43 countries including Costa Rica, Greece, Ghana, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

• ●The ceremony will begin with a themed video, followed by:
  ▲ Opening remarks, congratulatory speeches, and a welcome speech
  ▲ Opening performance
  ▲ 10th Anniversary Special Session, where John Kerry, the founder of the Our Ocean Conference, will present "A Decade of Achievements of the OOC."

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Mayor Park’s welcome speech will emphasize that this conference should serve as a starting point for solidarity and action toward sustainable oceans.

• ●He is expected to state,
  "It is highly meaningful that the 10th anniversary of the Our Ocean Conference is being held in Busan.
  We hope this conference will become a platform for action rather than words, for implementation rather than declarations.
  Busan will advance as a city leading global cooperation in marine policy, marine governance, and ocean technology and data,
  with a strong sense of responsibility."

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Later today (April 29), at 6:00 p.m., Busan Metropolitan City will host the official welcome event.

• ●The event will be attended by key domestic and international guests participating in the 10th Our Ocean Conference
  and will include:
  ▲ Opening performances
  ▲ Welcome address and keynote speech
  ▲ Congratulatory remarks
  ▲ Networking sessions

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At this event, Mayor Park will deliver a keynote speech under the theme "Global Maritime Hub City Busan."

• ●In his speech, Mayor Park will highlight Busan’s future-oriented marine industry strategies, including:

• ○Busan’s status as the world’s second-largest transshipment port

• ○The scheduled opening of the new Gadeokdo International Airport in 2029

• ○The development of the micro-ocean observation satellite "BusanSat"

• ●He will also emphasize Busan’s leadership in marine digital industries and its transformation into a technology-based marine innovation city,
  supported by cooperation with world-class marine think tanks clustered in Yeongdo District.

• ●Furthermore, Mayor Park will introduce Busan’s growing reputation as a global marine tourism city,
  recently selected among the "Top 100 Global Travel Destinations" (Trip.com, 2025 first half),
  and will express strong determination to elevate Busan’s global standing as a center for marine-based international cooperation.

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Meanwhile, the 10th Our Ocean Conference will conclude with the closing ceremony tomorrow (April 30), wrapping up its three-day program.