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Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam Megacity Economic Union Promotion Division Requests National Assembly Support for State Budget Allocation

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The Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam Megacity Economic Union Promotion Division (hereinafter referred to as the Promotion Division) announced that on September 17, it visited the National Assembly to secure state budget support for the “2026 Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam Mega-Regional Cooperation Projects.”

The Promotion Division visited, in turn, the offices of National Assembly members from the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region who belong to the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts: [Busan] Kim Dae-sik and Lee Seong-gwon; [Ulsan] Kim Sang-wook; [Gyeongnam] Heo Seong-moo, Jeong Jeom-sik, and Kim Jong-yang. During these visits, the division explained the necessity of reflecting major pending projects in the government budget and requested active support.

The projects for which cooperation was requested included six initiatives with a total budget of KRW 150.7 billion: ▲Construction of the Busan New Port–Gimhae Expressway ▲Support for the operation of a specialized pediatric emergency medical center for Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam ▲Promotion of joint hydrogen bus purchases in Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam, among others.

The Promotion Division was launched in March 2023 to counterbalance the concentration of the Seoul metropolitan area and has since established the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam Mega-Regional Development Plan. It is currently pursuing 57 projects across 15 sectors under three strategic pillars. In addition, it holds an annual policy council chaired jointly by the governors and mayor of the three regions to strengthen cooperative frameworks for mutual development.

The state-funded projects proposed this time are those within the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam Mega-Regional Cooperation framework that require increased budget allocation for the coming year or are at risk of reduction. Accordingly, the division requested continued attention and support from the National Assembly.

Through this visit, the Promotion Division highlighted once again the necessity and legitimacy of cooperative projects pursued jointly by the three regions, stressing in particular the urgent need for active government support to promote balanced regional development and alleviate concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area. The Promotion Division also plans to maintain close collaboration with local lawmakers throughout the budget deliberation process.

To this end, the Promotion Division has been operating the “Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam Megacity Economic Union Joint Response Team for State Budget” led by the Planning and Coordination Offices of the three regions, in order to secure government funding and strengthen cooperative ties with the National Assembly.

Last year as well, the Promotion Division continuously engaged in activities to secure state funding, visiting the offices of members of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts and key standing committees. In particular, with the National Assembly’s budget deliberations set to begin in earnest this November, the division plans to further strengthen budget acquisition efforts centered on the Planning and Coordination Offices of the three local governments.

Furthermore, the Promotion Division emphasized that the mega-regional cooperation projects go beyond simply building regional infrastructure; they will directly contribute to establishing future industrial foundations and improving the living conditions of local residents. The division expects these efforts to serve as a catalyst for mutual development in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region, and pledged to continue strengthening communication with central government ministries and the National Assembly to ensure stable and sustainable project implementation.

Ju Min-hee, Director of the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam Megacity Economic Union Promotion Division, stated, “We will make every effort to secure government budget allocations until the very end to ensure the smooth implementation of the ‘Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam Mega-Regional Cooperation Projects.’ We will continue to maintain close cooperative ties with the central government and the National Assembly to ensure sustainable projects and shared development in the region.”