Busan is good

Asia’s First Hosting of the “2025 World Anti-Doping Agency Annual Conference” Brings KRW 11.6 Billion Boost to the Local Economy

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that the conference held from December 1 to 5 last year generated an estimated economic ripple effect of approximately KRW 11.6 billion for the local economy.

At 11:00 a.m. today (the 27th), the “2025 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Annual Conference Outcomes Briefing” will be held at Paradise Hotel Busan to review the tangible achievements of the conference. The event will be attended by around 40 representatives from major organizations, including the city’s Director General of the Sports Bureau, the Korea Anti-Doping Agency (KADA), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and BEXCO.

[Economic Impact] According to a pre-analysis by the Busan Development Institute (BDI), reflecting the 2025 inflation rate, the five-day conference is estimated to have generated approximately KRW 11.6 billion in economic effects, including KRW 7.9 billion in production inducement, KRW 3.7 billion in value-added inducement, 44 jobs created, and 63 employment inducement effects.

In addition, satisfaction surveys conducted among conference participants showed a 92.8 percent positive evaluation of the conference overall and a 90.7 percent positive evaluation of Busan as the host city, once again demonstrating the city’s competitiveness as a global MICE destination across transportation, accommodation, and the overall environment.

[Laying the Foundation for International Sports Cooperation] Furthermore, the World Anti-Doping Code, revised International Standards, and the Busan Declaration announced on the final day of the conference provided an important foundation and justification for Busan to leap forward as a global hub city and center of sports diplomacy in the era of fair, doping-free sport.

As the first conference of its kind to be held in Asia, the event finalized revisions to the Anti-Doping Code (WADA Code) and International Standards to be applied from 2027, and officially adopted the Busan Declaration, which embodies the international community’s collective commitment to preventing doping, including safeguarding the value of fair competition, expanding cooperation among countries, and strengthening the protection of athletes’ rights.

Based on the international sports cooperation network formed through this conference, the city plans to expand the outcomes across all areas of sports by attracting large-scale international events such as the “2026 Busan International Marathon,” revitalizing the sports industry across the board, and promoting legacy projects stemming from the conference, including the “Asia Youth Clean Sport Camp.”

Meanwhile, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Annual Conference is the world’s largest and most authoritative international anti-doping event, held every six years. The most recent conference took place from December 1 to 5 last year at BEXCO and other venues, with the participation of more than 2,000 global sports leaders from 163 countries.

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “Building on this conference, we will continue to attract global sports events that deliver tangible economic benefits directly felt by our citizens,” adding, “At the heart of a new era of fair and clean sport, Busan will once again make a leap forward as a ‘city of everyday sports’ and a ‘clean sport hub city.’”