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“Busan’s Growth is Korea’s Growth” Busan Global Hub City Civic Forum Held

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it held the “Busan’s Growth is Korea’s Growth: Busan Global Hub City Civic Forum” at 2:00 p.m. today (October 24) at the Busan City Hotel.

The forum brought together Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs Lee Jun-seung; Jang Ha-yong, Director of the Future Strategy Planning Office at the Busan Institute of Urban Affairs; Shin Hyun-seok, Professor at Pusan National University; Lee Dong-hae, Director of the Marine Finance Center at the Busan International Financial Promotion Center; Yoon Hee-seong, Professor at Korea Maritime and Ocean University; Woo Jong-gyun, Professor at Tongmyong University; representatives from institutions located in the BIFC; and approximately 100 participants including experts and citizens.

Overview

• ●Date: October 24, 2025 (Friday) 14:00

• ●Venue: Busan City Hotel

• ●Participants: Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs, experts, BIFC institutions, related organizations, and approximately 100 citizens

• ●Main Program: Opening ceremony, keynote presentations, comprehensive discussion, and Q&A

This forum was organized to share logistics and financial policies for the establishment of the Busan Global Hub City, build a consensus on related initiatives, and unite civic capacity to expedite the enactment of the Busan Global Hub City Special Act.

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The forum proceeded with the following sequence: an opening declaration and introductions, a presentation on the current status and major components of the Busan Global Hub City initiative, a keynote on “Strategies for Busan’s Growth as a Global Hub City in the Era of the Arctic Route,” a panel discussion, and a Q&A session before closing.

The first presentation, “Current Status and Major Initiatives of the Busan Global Hub City,” was delivered by Lee Kyung-deok, Director of Planning for Busan Metropolitan City. The Special Act was jointly proposed by all National Assembly members representing the Busan region at the opening of the 22nd National Assembly in May last year, demonstrating bipartisan agreement on its necessity. Consultations with relevant ministries have already been completed.

The second presentation, “Strategies for Busan’s Growth as a Global Hub City in the Era of the Arctic Route,” was given by Jang Ha-yong, Director of Future Strategy Planning at the Busan Institute of Urban Affairs. Citing the case of Greece’s Piraeus, which transformed into a leading maritime hub in the Mediterranean after relocating its maritime-related ministries from the capital, he presented growth strategies for Busan in the new Arctic shipping era.

The comprehensive discussion, moderated by Shin Hyun-seok, Professor at Pusan National University, featured active debate among panelists including Lee Dong-hae (Director of the Busan International Financial Promotion Center), Yoon Hee-seong (Professor at Korea Maritime and Ocean University), and Woo Jong-gyun (Professor at Tongmyong University).

Discussions centered on strategies for developing Busan as a next-generation logistics and business hub, approaches to elevating Busan into a global financial hub, and plans to establish it as a center for global maritime finance.

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Meanwhile, Busan Metropolitan City plans to continue the Busan Global Hub City Civic Forum series between November and December to share policies with citizens on digital industries, culture, and tourism as part of the Global Hub City initiative.

The city will also intensify public participation events and customized promotional campaigns to build civic momentum and support the prompt passage of the Special Act, expressing the collective aspiration of its citizens.

Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs Lee Jun-seung stated, “The Special Act provides an institutional foundation for realizing the national agenda of developing Arctic shipping routes and building Korea into a maritime powerhouse. I hope this forum enhances understanding of Busan’s logistics and finance sectors within the Global Hub City framework, and offers a meaningful opportunity for citizens to engage in genuine dialogue about what kind of ‘Global Hub City’ we envision for the future.”