Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan City to Close Eight Beaches on September 14, Records Highest Number of Visitors Since COVID-19

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that the operation of its eight beaches this summer will come to an end on September 14, with Haeundae Beach being the last to close.

From June 21, when Haeundae and Songjeong Beaches partially opened, a total of eight beaches across Busan welcomed visitors for nearly three months before entering the closing period.*

• ●Seven beaches, including Songjeong, closed on August 31, while Haeundae remained open until September 14 with an extended operating period.

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As of September 7, the total number of visitors to Busan’s beaches reached 21.561 million, a 9.31 percent increase compared to last year, marking the highest figure since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020.

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Haeundae Beach, in particular, is expected to surpass 10 million visitors by its closing date (September 14) for the first time since 2020, reaffirming its reputation as Busan’s leading beach destination.

The City analyzed that the extension of operating periods in response to prolonged heat waves caused by climate change, along with transforming beaches from simple swimming spots into experiential spaces with diverse attractions, significantly contributed to the increase in visitors.

During this summer’s short rainy season followed by a long heat wave, extended operations were accompanied by numerous themed festivals and events across beaches in Busan, focusing on healing, culture, and experiential activities, which played a major role in boosting visitor numbers.

Examples include:

• ●[Healing] Haeundae’s “Mud Trail on the Beach,” Songdo’s “Ground Fountain”

• ●[Culture] Songdo’s “Enjoy Rock Festival,” Gijang’s “Gaet Village Festival,” Imrang’s “Summer Music Festival”

• ●[Experience] Songdo’s “Sea Diving,” Gwangalli’s “Paddle Boarding,” and Songjeong’s “Surfing”

These programs provided citizens and tourists with new leisure experiences.

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Furthermore, Dadaepo East Beach, which reopened this year after coastal maintenance work, quickly established itself as a new tourist attraction and contributed significantly to the increase in visitors to Dadaepo Beach.

As a leading tourist destination in western Busan, Dadaepo Beach more than doubled its visitor numbers compared to last year, thanks to a variety of marine leisure, cultural, and tourism content, making it a popular destination for both families and young travelers.

In particular, regionally specialized marine and cultural events such as the “Busan Sea Festival,” “Sunset Film Festival,” and “KIMA WEEK” were held centered around Dadaepo, offering unique attractions for domestic and international tourists.

Dadaepo Beach is further strengthening its role as a hub for marine leisure tourism, and is expected to continue developing as a leading destination for marine leisure and tourism content.

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At the same time, the City strengthened safety and order management at each beach to create a safe and pleasant environment.

Through disaster warning displays, banners, and regular announcements, safety rules (such as preventing overcrowding and prohibiting unsafe activities) were promoted. Safety personnel were permanently stationed, and patrols were reinforced during vulnerable hours. To accommodate international visitors, foreign language announcements were also made, reinforcing Busan’s capacity to host tourists.

Major beaches were equipped with jellyfish prevention nets, and water quality inspections, safety facility checks, and night swimming restrictions were strictly managed through frequent on-site inspections before and during opening. The City also operated the “119 Citizen Lifeguard Rescue Team,” consisting of local government officials, firefighters, coast guard personnel, and civilian volunteers, to help prevent accidents.

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Even after the beaches officially close, the City plans to continue preventing accidents by deploying safety personnel, strengthening guidance, and maintaining patrols and inspections, while also reinforcing public awareness campaigns to discourage swimming.

Additionally, notices and banners will be posted to ensure that citizens and tourists are well informed of the closures.

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “We have done our utmost this summer to ensure that citizens and tourists from home and abroad could enjoy Busan’s beaches safely and pleasantly, with thorough safety management and engaging tourism content.” He added, “Building on this year’s achievements, we will make further improvements, and continue to develop differentiated content and branding that reflects the unique regional and environmental characteristics of each beach, striving to realize a year-round marine leisure tourism city open to all.”