Busan is good

The Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) Establishes Dedicated Divisions for Underground Safety, Aging Planned Cities, and Vacant House Management

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The Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will establish new specialized departments to reinforce the driving force behind the city administration’s flagship vision of “Busan, a city you’d want to live in again.”

To this end, the city has pre-announced legislation to revise the Busan Metropolitan City Organization Ordinance as of June 11.

The key elements of the ordinance revision include:
➊ Establishment of the Road Safety Division as a control tower for comprehensive road safety, including underground collapse risk;
➋ Creation of the Aging City Management Division to handle aging planned cities and vacant house maintenance;
➌ Adjustment of the City Council’s Legislative Affairs Officer grade from Level 4 to Level 3 and 4 dual-level positions to strengthen support for legislative functions.

This reorganization emphasizes enhancing the administrative capacity for one of the city’s five major strategies: “a citizen-centered, happy city” as part of the broader goal of transforming Busan into a global hub city.

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1. Road Safety Division

To alleviate citizens’ growing concerns over underground collapses and road hazards, the city will newly establish a Road Safety Division under the Urban Spatial Planning Bureau.

This division will assume full responsibility for road maintenance, safety functions, and pedestrian policy—functions currently handled by the Road Planning Division.

The Road Safety Division will serve as a centralized control tower for road safety and actively promote safer urban infrastructure by focusing on inspection, maintenance, and hazard mitigation in road networks.

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2. Aging City Management Division

In response to the growing challenges of aging new towns and the rise of vacant properties, the city will establish a dedicated Aging City Management Division within the Housing and Architecture Bureau.

This division will oversee responsibilities previously handled by the Urban Renewal Division, focusing specifically on aging planned residential areas and vacant housing.

By proactively responding to national policy trends related to vacant house management and implementing systematic, large-scale renovation projects in aging urban areas, the city aims to accelerate its transformation into a future-ready city.

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3. Legislative Affairs Officer Grade Adjustment

To enhance support for legislative activities, the grade for the City Council’s Legislative Affairs Officer will be adjusted from a single Level 4 position to a dual Level 3 and 4 structure.

This adjustment aligns with the amended Enforcement Decree on Local Government Organization Standards, which took effect in May 2025, and will be reflected in the city’s revised ordinance.

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Mayor Park Heong-joon stated:

“With about one year remaining in the 8th administration, we will place even greater focus on enhancing citizen safety and citizen happiness as we move toward realizing Busan as a global hub city.
Following consultation with the City Council, we plan to pass this revision during the 330th City Council Session, aiming for full implementation within August.”