Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan City Secures KRW 40 Billion in Central Government Funding as All Four Proposed Sites Are Selected in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s Urban Regeneration Project Competition

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that all four sites proposed by the city were selected in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s “Urban Regeneration Project Competition for the Second Half of 2025,” securing KRW 40 billion in national government funding.

The selected areas are Gwangbok and Bupyeong-dong in Jung-gu, Sujeong 2-dong in Dong-gu, Sumin and Boksan-dong in Dongnae-gu, and Bugok 3-dong in Geumjeong-gu—four locations in total. From next year (2026), a total project budget of KRW 94.7 billion will be invested over a five-year period.

As the project budgets for the four selected areas will be reflected in the national budget, Busan Metropolitan City plans to begin full-scale implementation by establishing activation plans from next year (2026) in close consultation with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The theme of each project site is as follows:

• ●[Jung-gu Gwangbok and Bupyeong-dong] “Rediscovering the Underground: The Arts and Rest Hub Project”

• ●[Dong-gu Sujeong 2-dong] “Sujeong-dong’s Shining 24 Hours”

• ●[Dongnae-gu Sumin and Boksan-dong] “Dongnae, the Historic Heart of Busan, Leaping Forward as a Big History Town”

• ●[Geumjeong-gu Bugok 3-dong] “Gichal Wellness Town, Where Everyday Life Is Enjoyable for the 20·50 Plus Generation”

The “Rediscovering the Underground: The Arts and Rest Hub Project” in Gwangbok and Bupyeong-dong, Jung-gu, aims to revitalize the area by expanding insufficient restroom and rest facilities within the International Underground Shopping Center and introducing cultural events such as performances and exhibitions.

“Sujeong-dong’s Shining 24 Hours” in Sujeong 2-dong, Dong-gu, focuses on improving the residential environment and enhancing residents’ quality of life by refurbishing 100 percent of vacant houses, supplying rental housing, expanding home repair programs, and strengthening social overhead capital (SOC) and other everyday infrastructure.

“Dongnae, the Historic Heart of Busan, Leaping Forward as a Big History Town” in Sumin and Boksan-dong, Dongnae-gu, seeks to develop the area into a tourist city by improving the environment of traditional markets, expanding convenience facilities, and upgrading hanok villages and historical and cultural walking trails.

“Gichal Wellness Town, Where Everyday Life Is Enjoyable for the 20·50 Plus Generation” in Bugok 3-dong, Geumjeong-gu, aims to enhance settlement conditions by supplying resident demand–tailored convenience facilities, improving parking lots and streetscapes, and encouraging new housing improvements for local residents.

Meanwhile, in July and August, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport finalized guidelines for each type of urban regeneration project as part of its efforts to revitalize declining urban areas.

Under the “Aged Residential Area Improvement Support Project,” infrastructure and convenience facilities are supplied to aging low-rise residential areas, while incentives such as fund-based loans are provided to support private-sector housing improvements.

“Region-Specific Regeneration” projects are implemented based on local demand and characteristics, utilizing each area’s unique historical, cultural, or industrial assets.

“Accredited Projects” recognize infrastructure installation and improvement initiatives based on individual laws as urban regeneration projects, enabling the swift promotion of small-scale, point-based projects.

Although this year’s urban regeneration project competition involved challenges during the preparation stage due to significant revisions to the guidelines by project type, Busan Metropolitan City swiftly carried out the required procedures—such as preliminary reviews of new projects and reporting to the City Council—based on experience accumulated through participation in last year’s “New Village” project competition.

In addition, from the project planning stage onward, the city conducted consultations on feasibility, viability, and project effectiveness, and actively supported responses to on-site inspections and final presentation evaluations by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. This systematic preparation ultimately led to the successful outcome.

Mayor Park Heong-joon said, “This selection has laid the groundwork for revitalizing alleyway commercial districts and living environments in downtown residential areas,” adding, “Busan Metropolitan City will continue to expand everyday infrastructure such as roads, parking facilities, and parks that citizens can tangibly experience, and strive to create a more pleasant and livable city.”