Busan is good

Recruitment of the Second Class of the Busan Metropolitan City Children’s Reporters, with Over 300 Participants to Be Selected

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will accept applications for the “Second Class of the Busan Metropolitan City Children’s Reporters (Kkomabusan Reporters, also known as Kkobugi-dan)” until December 31.

The Kkomabusan Reporters program represents a key civic participation initiative of Busan, a city committed to children’s happiness. As contributors to the Busan children’s newspaper Big Eye Doran-doran, participants produce major articles that vividly convey Busan’s municipal affairs, culture, and festivals from a child’s perspective.

The activity period for the Second Class of the Children’s Reporters will run from March 2026 to February 2027. Planned activities include monthly field reporting, family cultural experience reporting, monthly mission reporting, free-topic articles that allow children to explore their interests, special vacation lectures, and interviews.

To support the reporters, the city will provide press kits consisting of reporter ID cards, hats, and notebooks. During the inauguration ceremony, a professional journalist will offer special lectures on writing and reporting. Each month, outstanding articles will be selected, with the authors receiving a small manuscript fee. At the end of the year, an awards ceremony will be held to further inspire participation.

Eligible applicants include 300 children who are enrolled in grades 4 to 6 at Busan elementary schools in 2026, or Busan children of equivalent age. Additionally, about 30 multicultural or foreign children will be recruited separately outside the general quota.

Applications may be submitted until December 31 via Naver Form (naver.me/G8hHubfJ). Applicants must write and submit a 100–300-character article on the theme “Busan, a City of Cultural and Tourism Attractions.” This expanded recruitment is aimed at increasing opportunities for local participation among multicultural and foreign children residing in Busan, significantly increasing the scale from the 204 members of the first class.

Applicants who submit their forms in good faith will be selected through a combination of balanced regional allocation and random draw, resulting in a final group of 300 general members and about 30 multicultural members.

The results will be announced on January 6, 2026, through the city website’s notice section and the children’s newspaper website (www.busan.go.kr/kids). Selected applicants will also receive individual notification via text message. Detailed information on reporter recruitment is available on the notice boards of the city website and the children’s newspaper website.

Meanwhile, the 204 members of the First Class of the Kkomabusan Reporters conducted field reporting from May to November at major municipal and cultural venues, including the National Busan Science Museum, Eulsukdo Ecological Park, and the Busan Regional Meteorological Administration. They also produced articles after covering various performances at the Busan International Kids & Youth Film Festival, Busan International Performing Arts Festival, G-Star, Busan Cultural Center, National Gugak Center Busan Branch, Haeundae Cultural Center, Eulsukdo Cultural Center, Dongnae Cultural Center, and Baegyang Cultural Art Center—broadly showcasing the charm of Busan.

As of the end of November, the First Class produced a total of 970 articles. These articles will be published in January 2026 as a compilation of outstanding works and shared with Busan citizens.

The third issue (winter edition) of Big Eye Doran-doran, created in collaboration with the First Class of the Kkomabusan Reporters, will be distributed to students in grades 3 to 6 at Busan elementary schools beginning in December, and will also be available at the Children’s Complex Cultural Space “Deullak-Nallak” and local libraries.

A wide range of articles written by the children’s reporters can also be viewed on the children’s newspaper website (www.busan.go.kr/kids).

Won Young-il, spokesperson of the city, stated, “Exploring every corner of Busan and conducting on-site reporting will give participating children a strong sense of achievement and pride. We expect that the Second Class of the Busan Metropolitan City Children’s Reporters will provide even more children with opportunities to learn about Busan, document their experiences, and grow through active engagement.”