Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan City Holds “Local Government Visa Steering Committee Meeting” Discusses Achievements of the Local Government Visa Program

내용

Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it held the first Busan Metropolitan City Local Government Visa Steering Committee Meeting today (October 22) at 2:00 p.m. at the Busan Digital Training Center of the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled (16th floor, National Pension Service Building) to review the results of this year’s pilot program and discuss operational directions for next year.

The meeting was attended by about 20 participants, including Lee Gyeong-deok, Director of Planning, representatives from 14 participating universities* of the Local Government Visa program, as well as officials from the Busan Global City Foundation, Busan Institute, and Busan Rise Innovation Institute.

Kyungsung University, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Youngsan University, Kyungnam College of Information & Technology, Pukyong National University, Tongmyong University, Dongseo University, Dong-A University, Dong-Eui Institute of Technology, Dong-Eui University, Busan Institute of Science and Technology, Pusan National University, Busan University of Foreign Studies, and Silla University.

After being selected by the Ministry of Justice in April this year as a pilot local government for the Local Government Visa program, Busan Metropolitan City has been working in collaboration with 14 universities to establish the institutional framework and actively implement the project.

In particular, the city hosted the Local Government Visa Partner Institutions Meeting in May, attended by university presidents and vice presidents from the 14 participating universities, the Chief of the Busan Immigration Office, and the CEO of the Busan Global City Foundation. During the meeting, the Operational Strategy for the Busan Metropolitan City Local Government Visa was announced, and a cooperative system was established among the city, universities, and relevant organizations.

This meeting was organized to share the results of the Local Government Visa program so far and to conduct in-depth discussions on each university’s international student recruitment plans for 2026, as well as proposals for policy improvement.

In the second half of this year, Busan achieved the successful recruitment of 335 outstanding international students from 10 countries, including Bangladesh, Nepal, and Vietnam, focusing on departments related to the city’s strategic industries such as semiconductors, secondary batteries, and future automotive parts.

Each university has built various academic and living support systems to help international students adapt to campus life and settle stably in Busan. These include dormitory accommodations, scholarship programs, intensive Korean language courses, and employment-linked programs, contributing to improved academic satisfaction and a stronger settlement foundation.

Through this steering committee meeting, the city aims to collect diverse on-site opinions from universities recruiting international students and continuously supplement the system and support measures so that the Local Government Visa program can yield tangible results in revitalizing the local economy and securing high-quality talent.

Director of Planning Lee Gyeong-deok emphasized,
“The Local Government Visa program is not merely a student recruitment project but a key talent policy of Busan aimed at attracting, nurturing, and retaining global professionals essential for the city’s strategic industries.”
He added, “Busan Metropolitan City, along with universities and institutions, will join forces to ensure that the Local Government Visa program enhances the competitiveness of local universities, alleviates labor shortages in industrial fields, and ultimately contributes to securing future growth drivers for Busan.”