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Busan Metropolitan City Announces “48 Policy and Institutional Changes Across Five Major Areas in 2026”

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced the “2026 Policy and Institutional Changes,” which include 48 institutional changes across five major areas closely related to citizens’ daily lives.

This announcement is intended to provide citizens with easy-to-understand information on policies and initiatives that will change from next year, thereby improving public convenience and minimizing inconvenience and confusion caused by policy changes.

As the global economic order enters a period of transition and a wide range of changes are being called for, Busan Metropolitan City has placed emphasis on stabilizing livelihoods and creating a “Busan where people would want to live even if they were born again,” by offering tailored support for citizens and pursuing various initiatives.

The five major areas are: ➊ economy, jobs and youth; ➋ childbirth and childcare; ➌ health, welfare and the environment; ➍ urban development, transportation and safety; and ➎ culture, sports and tourism. The following are the key details by area.

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Economy, Jobs and Youth

To ease financial difficulties for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and small business owners, Busan Metropolitan City will expand the ceiling for SME development funds to up to KRW 1.8 billion per company, and increase the interest subsidy rate (interest rate support) for SME working capital and special funds for small business owners by 0.5 percentage points (%) each.

To support a stable business closure process for local small business owners planning to shut down, Busan Metropolitan City will expand the maximum amount of support for closure-related costs to up to KRW 4.5 million.

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Childbirth and Childcare

To support the healthy growth and development of infants and young children enrolled in childcare centers, the subsidy for meal and snack costs will be increased (from KRW 600 to KRW 1,160). The subsidy will be KRW 1,160 per day for infants and KRW 1,160 per day for children aged 3–4 and 3–5.

In addition to existing support for necessary operating expenses at childcare centers, Busan Metropolitan City will newly support parent-paid event costs for ages 3–4 and specialized program costs for ages 3–5, thereby promoting full free childcare for children aged 3–5 enrolled in childcare centers.

To ease the childcare burden for the growing number of children in foreign households, Busan Metropolitan City will provide childcare fees (KRW 100,000 per month) for foreign resident children aged 3–5 who attend childcare centers in the city.

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Health, Welfare and the Environment

To support citizens in need of care, Busan Metropolitan City will expand eligibility for the “Busan Together Care” service to households with income at or below 100% of the median income, and expand the supported services from six to eight by adding “housing environment improvement” and “home-visit exercise.”

Busan Metropolitan City will implement a facility improvement support program to subsidize repair work for homes affected by jeonse (lump-sum lease) fraud where safety needs to be secured, thereby partially supporting the costs for maintaining the housing conditions of victims of jeonse fraud.

To block the spread of infectious diseases and enhance preventive effects, Busan Metropolitan City will expand eligibility for free influenza vaccination to those aged 14 and under, and include 12-year-old boys in the eligibility for free human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.

Busan Metropolitan City will newly open the Busan Developmental Disabilities Support Center as the Busan Support Center for Children with Disabilities and Developmental Disabilities, and promote integrated welfare support for families of children with disabilities.

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Urban Development, Transportation and Safety

To realize transportation welfare for citizens, Busan Metropolitan City will provide support for toll fees at Garak Tollgate. Additional toll support will be provided for Busan residents and vehicles owned or leased by workplaces located in the city that pass through the tollgate during weekday commuting hours (excluding Saturdays and public holidays): from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Busan Metropolitan City will expand K-Pass refund benefits for seniors aged 65 and over (from 20% to 30%) and introduce the “K-Pass Everyone’s Card” to expand benefits for citizens using public transportation.

Busan Metropolitan City plans to improve the system by expanding benefits for older drivers who voluntarily return their driver’s licenses (to KRW 300,000) and providing incentives through Dongbaekjeon.

Busan Metropolitan City will further strengthen the social safety net by adding sinkhole injury compensation to the coverage items of the Citizen Safety Insurance and expanding certain existing coverage items.

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Culture, Sports and Tourism

Busan Metropolitan City will increase the support amount for the Integrated Culture Voucher for low-income groups to KRW 150,000 per year, and provide an additional KRW 10,000 to specific age groups (ages 13–18 and 60–64).

Busan Metropolitan City will pursue support programs for young local creators and artists who have been left in blind spots of support, including providing KRW 1 million per month for nine months to 39 local young artists aged 39 and under.

To further expand opportunities for young people to enjoy culture, Busan Metropolitan City will add the exhibition category to the “Busan Youth 10,000 Won+ Culture Pass” and implement separate recruitment by voucher type.

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Detailed information such as implementation timelines for the policies and initiatives changing from next year can be found on the Busan Metropolitan City website at busan.go.kr under “Information Disclosure → Major Policies,” and citizens may contact the relevant department in charge for each initiative for further details.

Mayor Park Heong-joon said, “In 2026, building on the innovation and progress Busan has achieved so far, it will be a year to complete a Busan where people would want to live even if they were born again.” He added, “We will continue to identify and implement policies and initiatives that citizens can truly feel, focusing on ‘stability’ and ‘happiness.’”