Busan is good

Busan Metropolitan City Holds Press Tour for Foreign Press Corps in Korea to Promote Hosting of the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee

내용

Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will host a 1-night, 2-day press tour starting today (Feb. 4), inviting 25 foreign correspondents based in Korea to Busan to promote the city’s hosting of the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee (WHC).

This press tour was organized ahead of the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee to be held in July this year. It aims to provide foreign correspondents with on-site explanations of the value of Busan’s cultural heritage as the host city and the appeal of its outstanding cultural and tourism assets, while underscoring the city’s capacity to host the event.

Leading international journalists from 20 media outlets across eight countries are expected to attend, including the United States (The Epoch Times, AP NEWS), Japan (Nikkei, TV Asahi), China (Xinhua News Agency, JinQiao), France (La Tribune), the United Kingdom (The Guardian), Russia (PrimaMedia), and Singapore (SPH Media).

On the first day, the tour will begin with a briefing at Mumyeongilgi (a cultural space) in Yeongdo on the World Heritage Committee and key event details. It will then continue with an on-site visit to several components of the Heritage of Busan as a Wartime Capital during the Korean War*, including Gyeongmudae (Temporary Capital Memorial Hall), the annex of the Busan Modern and Contemporary History Museum (the former U.S. Embassy and U.S. Information Service), Busan Port Pier 1, and the UN Memorial Cemetery in Korea.

• ●A serial property consisting of 11 components: (1) Gyeongmudae (Temporary Capital Memorial Hall), (2) Temporary Central Government Complex (Seokdang Museum, Dong-A University), (3) Ami-dong Tombstone Refugee Settlement (Ami-dong Tombstone Village), (4) National Central Meteorological Observatory (Busan Meteorological Observatory), (5) Former U.S. Embassy and U.S. Information Service (annex of the Busan Modern and Contemporary History Museum), (6) Busan Port Pier 1, (7) Hialeah Base (Busan Citizens Park), (8) UN Memorial Cemetery in Korea, (9) Uam-dong Cattle Shed Refugee Settlement (Uam-dong Somak Village), (10) Yeongdo Bridge, and (11) Bokbyeongsan Reservoir, selected for UNESCO’s Tentative List (Nov. 2025).

Afterward, the press corps will move to Haeundae to look around BEXCO and the surrounding area, which will serve as a main venue for the World Heritage Committee session. They will then board a yacht to take in Busan’s outstanding night views, experiencing the distinctive charm of the city after dark as a cultural and tourism destination.

On the second day, the group will visit the LCT observatory, Busan X the Sky, to view the city’s development alongside its exceptional natural scenery. They will then move to the Busan Concert Hall, located within Busan Citizens Park (the former Hialeah Base), where they will tour facilities including the Grand Concert Hall. A special opportunity will also be offered to listen to a pipe organ performance, showcasing Busan’s cultural capacity.

Mayor Park Heong-joon said, “Through this press tour, I hope the participants will learn about Busan’s diverse appeal—from ‘Busan as a Wartime Capital,’ where refugees of the Korean War once lived, to ‘Busan as a K-culture hub city’ visited by three million foreign tourists—and see firsthand Busan’s capability as a host city.” He will also ask for the foreign correspondents’ interest and cooperation, saying, “Please support the successful hosting of the World Heritage Committee session—being held in Busan for the first time in Korea—and the 추진 of World Heritage inscription for Busan as a Wartime Capital.”