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Busan Metropolitan City Announces Official Hosting of the “2026 PNLG Forum” in Indonesia… Strengthening Global Cooperation on Marine Environment

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it attended the “2025 PNLG (PEMSEA Network of Local Governments for Sustainable Coastal Development) Forum” (hereinafter referred to as the Forum) held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from September 16 to 18.

The Forum is an annual conference organized in rotation among member cities of the PNLG, a cooperative network of local governments under PEMSEA (Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia). It aims to protect ecosystems in East Asian seas and ensure the sustainable use of coastal areas.

Busan joined the PNLG as a member city in December 2021 and has since expanded cooperation with other cities on marine environmental issues. In May this year, the City secured the hosting of the 2026 Forum in Busan.

This year’s Forum was held under the theme “Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Blue Economy” and included a general assembly and technical sessions. The event brought together about 300 representatives from member cities for active discussions.

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As the official next host city, Busan’s delegation, led by the Director General of the Oceans and Fisheries Bureau, participated in the handover ceremony, introduced a promotional video on “Busan – Global Maritime Hub City,” and officially announced that Busan will host the “2026 PNLG Forum.”

In addition, during the panel discussion where participating cities shared innovative cases of maritime responses to climate change, Busan presented its digital-based maritime industry strategy under the theme “Busan – Leading the Digital Wave in Global Maritime,” thereby sharing its vision as a global maritime hub city.

Through the 2026 Forum, the City plans to pursue policy cooperation focused on practical agendas such as marine environment management technologies and integrated coastal management. As Busan is the central hub of Korea’s maritime sector, hosting the Forum is expected to provide an important opportunity to showcase the City’s maritime expertise to the international community.

The PNLG Forum allows the host city to take the lead in setting the agenda and organizing the program. Looking ahead, Busan intends to expand international cooperation channels and leverage the outcomes of the 2026 Forum to attract large-scale international conferences, such as the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC), thereby further strengthening its position as a global maritime hub city.

Kuen-rok Park, Director General of the Oceans and Fisheries Bureau of Busan Metropolitan City, stated, “The PNLG is a key platform where local governments directly discuss marine environment protection and sustainable coastal development. By hosting the Forum in 2026, we will enhance Busan’s status as a global maritime hub city and actively promote our City’s efforts and commitment to providing practical solutions to international maritime challenges.”