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Busan Metropolitan City Designated as the First Regional Global Startup Immigration Center in the Southeastern Region, Advancing Toward a Global Startup Hub

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Busan Metropolitan City Mayor Park Heong-joon announced that Busan Startup Investment Agency has been finally selected as the operating institution for the Regional Global Startup Immigration Center designated by the Ministry of Justice.

The Global Startup Immigration Center is an institution that provides the “OASIS (Overall Assistance for Startup Immigration System)” program, offering startup education, consulting, mentoring, and other support services to foreign nationals who wish to start businesses in Korea.

As a designated Global Startup Immigration Center, Busan Startup Investment Agency plans to award points required for obtaining a Technology Startup Visa (D-8-4) through education programs including startup competency training, consulting, mentoring, incubation, and other related courses.

Until now, Global Startup Immigration Centers had been concentrated in Seoul. However, in line with the government’s policy direction toward balanced national development, discussions on regional expansion began in earnest this year. With Busan Metropolitan City’s proactive efforts to attract the designation, the city achieved the milestone of becoming the first in the southeastern region to be designated.

As a result, Busan has established an institutional foundation that enables foreign startup talent to settle and grow in regional areas rather than concentrating solely in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Currently, Global Startup Immigration Centers are in operation in Seoul and Jeonbuk. With the additional designation of Busan and Chungcheongbuk-do, a total of eight centers nationwide will now support foreign entrepreneurs.

Busan Metropolitan City has continuously expanded its network of cooperation and exchange with global startup ecosystem stakeholders, overseas investors, and startup support organizations, centered on the Asia Startup Expo, thereby strengthening its brand as an Asian startup city.

In addition, through global exchange and investment attraction support programs, the city has promoted overseas expansion for local companies and laid the groundwork for attracting outstanding foreign startup talent. These efforts are considered a key background factor in the selection of Busan as a Regional Global Startup Immigration Center.

The startup exchange network proactively built by Busan Metropolitan City is expected to serve as a core foundation for the future operation of the Global Startup Immigration Center.

The Global Startup Immigration Center is scheduled to open in the first half of 2026. Busan Metropolitan City plans to utilize the Busan Eurasia Platform (former Busan Station Plaza) as a key hub for foreign startup education and global exchange.

Lee Jin-soo, Director General of Financial and Startup Policy of Busan Metropolitan City, stated, “We will strive to ensure that foreign startup talent can settle and grow stably in Busan,” adding, “By establishing a comprehensive support system—including startup education, visa linkage, and collaboration with related institutions—we will strengthen Busan’s function as a global startup hub.”