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Busan Metropolitan City Signs Friendship City Agreement with Anchorage, Alaska… First Partnership Established with North America’s Arctic Region

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that at 10:30 a.m. (local time) on Jan. 5, the city signed a Friendship City Agreement with Anchorage—Alaska’s largest port city—at Anchorage City Hall in Alaska, United States.

This visit to Anchorage was carried out to strengthen Busan’s network with North America as the city pursues its vision of becoming a global hub city, and to build a substantive framework for exchanges with Alaska, a strategic hub for Arctic shipping routes.

The signing ceremony was attended by Mayor Park Heong-joon and Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, who personally signed the agreement.

At the ceremony, Mayor Park and Mayor LaFrance pledged to cooperate across multiple areas—including ports and logistics, tourism, culture, energy resources, and people-to-people exchanges—based on the geographic advantages and industrial similarities shared by the two cities.

This agreement marks Busan Metropolitan City’s first Friendship City partnership with North America’s Arctic region, and is expected to serve as a stepping stone for expanding the city’s diplomatic and economic influence into the northern United States.

In particular, Anchorage is a key hub for air and maritime logistics connecting North America and Asia. This agreement is significant in that it strengthens the network between the Port of Busan and the Don Young Port of Alaska (formerly the Port of Anchorage) and establishes a strategic partnership for pioneering future Arctic shipping routes.

On the same day, following the signing ceremony, the Busan delegation visited the Alaska State Government Anchorage Office at 3:00 p.m. and met with Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy.

During the meeting, Mayor Park shared Busan’s vision of becoming a global hub city and confirmed shared perspectives between Busan Metropolitan City and the State of Alaska on proactively preparing for the era of Arctic shipping routes as well as on a range of fields including energy and natural resources.

In particular, the two sides discussed practical cooperation measures going forward, such as promoting policy-level cooperation and business-to-business exchanges through initiatives including the hosting of an Arctic Port Forum.

Mayor Park stated, “Anchorage is a gateway to North America and a city with limitless potential. This Friendship City agreement will be an important turning point for Busan as it leaps forward as a global hub city.” He added, “Going beyond a purely ceremonial relationship, we will pursue business-centered exchanges that lead to tangible economic benefits and job creation.”