Busan is good

Mayor Park Heong-joon Requests Full Support from People Power Party Leadership on Key Regional Issues Including the Rebid for Gadeokdo New Airport

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that on November 4, at the Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Government Hall, the city held a “Regional Livelihood Budget and Policy Council” jointly with Gyeongsangnam-do, Ulsan Metropolitan City, and the central leadership of the People Power Party. The purpose was to request full cooperation from the party leadership and local National Assembly members to address key regional issues and secure next year’s national funding.

This council was arranged as part of the People Power Party’s nationwide tour to hear local voices directly ahead of the National Assembly’s Special Committee on Budget and Accounts deliberations. The meeting was attended by Mayor Park Heong-joon of Busan, Governor Park Wan-su of Gyeongsangnam-do, and Mayor Kim Doo-gyeom of Ulsan Metropolitan City, along with major People Power Party leaders including Party Representative Jang Dong-hyuk, Floor Leader Song Eon-seok, and about 40 local lawmakers.

In his opening remarks, Mayor Park emphasized that “the Busan–Ulsan–Gyeongnam (Bu-Ul-Gyeong) region is the new growth axis that will resolve Korea’s structural imbalance caused by the concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area. Fostering Bu-Ul-Gyeong as this new axis is the way to save the nation.”

He continued, “Busan is now achieving record levels of investment attraction and both qualitative and quantitative growth in employment. The city’s global brand value is rising, and the overall quality of life for citizens is improving. This year, we expect a record 3.7 million foreign tourists to visit Busan. Based on our strengthened capacity for innovative growth, Busan must take the next leap as a true global maritime hub city. To do so, we urgently need the enactment of the Busan Global Hub City Special Act, the relocation of Korea Development Bank to Busan, and the prompt rebidding of Gadeokdo New Airport. There are no procedural obstacles, yet the process continues to be delayed, leading to great disappointment among our citizens. We ask for the full support of the People Power Party at the national level.”

The key pending projects and next year’s major national budget items discussed at the meeting were as follows:

• ●Key Local Issues:

• ○Prompt construction and on-time opening of Gadeokdo New Airport

• ○Enactment of the Busan Global Hub City Special Act

• ○Relocation and integration of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and maritime public institutions to Busan

• ○Relocation of shipping company headquarters to Busan

• ○Realizing Busan as a leading city for national balanced development through redistribution of public institutions

• ○Establishment of an over-the-counter fractional investment exchange in Busan

• ●Major National Budget Projects for 2026:

• ○Establishment of a safe drinking water supply system for the Nakdong River basin

• ○Creation of a next-generation aircraft structure component advanced manufacturing testbed

• ○Development of an autonomous driving–based smart port mobility hub

• ○Establishment of compound semiconductor manufacturing infrastructure for extreme and polar industries

People Power Party Representative Jang Dong-hyuk and Floor Leader Song Eon-seok stated, “The Bu-Ul-Gyeong region is the heart and backbone of Korea’s industrial power and a key base for exports. The People Power Party will actively support its innovative growth in line with regional strengths. The Party will ensure the timely opening of Gadeokdo New Airport and the passage of the Busan Global Hub City Special Act. The leadership will also take the initiative in resolving core pending issues, including the full relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and related infrastructure, addressing long-standing regional demands, and securing growth-oriented budgets for the coming year.”

Meanwhile, Mayor Park urged the People Power Party to actively address the growing polarization between the Seoul metropolitan area and local regions in real estate, which has deepened public frustration and worsened local livelihoods. He also requested budget support to advance the resolution of the Nakdong River water issue, a long-standing concern of Busan citizens.