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Busan Metropolitan City Completes Administrative Procedures for the HAHA Campus Development Project, with Full-Scale Implementation to Begin in 2026

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Busan Metropolitan City Mayor Park Heong-joon announced that the City has completed all major administrative procedures required to develop the “HAHA (Happy Aging Healthy Aging) Campus” at the seminary campus of Catholic University of Pusan and will begin full-scale implementation of the project in 2026.

HAHA stands for “Happy Aging, Healthy Aging.”

Since the beginning of this year, the City has steadily carried out all essential procedures without delay, including feasibility studies and the establishment of a basic plan, a local finance investment review, the signing of memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with relevant institutions, and approval of amendments to the urban management plan. In addition, KRW 1.46 billion for detailed design services has been allocated in the 2026 main budget, laying the groundwork for the full-scale 추진 of the project.

In particular, the City has resolved what had been considered the greatest challenge in advancing the project: securing rights for the free use of school facilities. After year-long negotiations with Catholic University of Pusan and the affiliated school foundation, the City received final approval from the Ministry of Education last November, thereby securing key rights, including the donation of one building, the free use of two buildings for 30 years, and the establishment of superficies rights to the land. Through this achievement, the City has addressed long-term usage issues related to school facilities while also reducing fiscal burdens through free use.

Beginning next year, the City plans to launch detailed design services for building remodeling, complete Phase 1 of the project by 2028, and complete Phase 2 by 2033. The total project cost is KRW 60.6 billion. In Phase 1, three idle buildings and outdoor athletic facilities will be utilized to create facilities related to education, culture and leisure, health, and lifelong learning. In Phase 2, four existing university buildings will be repurposed, and facilities supporting life redesign and re-employment will be developed through industry–academia–research cooperation.

Furthermore, in preparation for a super-aged society, the City plans to promote projects linked to the Age Tech industry, which is considered a new growth engine, while also expanding the development of silver industry complexes and senior housing facilities, including University-Based Retirement Communities (UBRCs).

The HAHA Campus Development Project aims to support active and healthy later-life living for senior citizens by utilizing idle facilities within a 63,515-square-meter site at the seminary campus of Catholic University of Pusan. The project seeks to establish a comprehensive senior complex that integrates culture and leisure, health and sports, education, employment, housing, and the silver industry for active seniors and the general public.

Ahead of the project’s full-scale implementation, the City has undertaken various preparatory initiatives to vitalize the HAHA Campus and diversify funding sources. These efforts include operating HAHA education programs, hosting the HAHA Festival, and achieving success in national public offering projects. Since reaching an agreement in March last year with Catholic University of Pusan to open the seminary campus to the public, the City has 추진 a series of pilot projects, such as the development of outdoor sports facilities (including an athletic field, pickleball courts, and a running track), the creation of a barrier-free shared walking trail, the operation of HAHA education programs, the establishment and operation of the HAHA Health Center, and the creation of senior-friendly health play spaces and loess walking paths. In September, the City also hosted the “2025 HAHA Festival,” actively encouraging public participation.

In addition, in October, the “HAHA Sports Center Construction Project” was selected for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s “2026 Support Program for the Expansion of Community Sports Facilities,” securing KRW 4 billion in national funding.

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “Through the various efforts we have undertaken to develop the HAHA Campus, we have achieved significant results, including selection in a national public offering, securing national funding, and obtaining approval for the free use of school facilities.” He added, “With all procedures now completed for full-scale implementation, we will move forward with the project at an accelerated pace to create Busan as a city where senior citizens can enjoy happy and fulfilling lives.”