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Mayor Park Heong-joon Announces Vision for Busan as a Global Hub for Companies and Talent Through the Centum 2 Urban Convergence Special Zone

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will hold the “Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Centum 2 District Advanced Industrial Complex” at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow (the 25th) at the former Seyaung Logistics site in Bansong-dong, Haeundae-gu, and that it has begun full-scale construction to create a future new-industry core hub that will reshape Busan’s economic map.

This groundbreaking ceremony marks the outcome of securing a foundation for progress by resolving major challenges—including the relocation of Seyaung Logistics and a large parking facility—through continued communication and consultation with local residents.

The event will be attended by about 1,000 people, including Mayor Park Heong-joon, Ahn Seong-min, Chair of the Busan Metropolitan Council, National Assembly Member Kim Mi-ae, municipal and district council members, and citizens, who will come together to support Busan’s new leap forward.

The Centum 2 District has been advanced in phases—lifting development restriction zones in 2020, approving the industrial complex plan in 2022, and initiating construction in 2024. While there were delays due to relocation issues, the recent conclusion of consultations has enabled the project to move into full-scale construction.

The Centum 2 Urban Convergence Special Zone pursues an urban future-industry platform where residential, commercial, and cultural functions are organically connected with advanced industries. At the groundbreaking ceremony for the Centum 2 advanced industrial complex, the city will announce its vision of an “X (X)-nomics hub that reshapes the next 100 years” and its plan to fundamentally transform Busan’s economic structure through three core strategies: Spatial Innovation, Industrial Innovation, and Talent Innovation.

“X” refers to Digital Transformation (DX), AI Transformation (AX), and Green Transformation (GX). It goes beyond a simple shift in technology, and reflects the intent to lead Busan into a sustainable city through productivity innovation, a transition to a data-centered economy, and carbon neutrality and the energy transition.

Busan Metropolitan City plans to develop the area into an urban future-industry platform that organically combines future new industries—such as AI, robotics, and big data—with residential, commercial, and cultural facilities, fostering it as a global innovation hub that surpasses “a second Pangyo,” where Busan’s young people can work, enjoy life, and choose to stay.

In addition, through the “Quantum Alliance” and the “X (X)-nomics Technology Consultative Group,” the Centum 2 Urban Convergence Special Zone development project is reviewing plans to attract global research and development (R&D) facilities, including a Public Algorithm Center, a quantum cluster, and a quantum data center, through alliances with global anchor companies, and it also plans to establish a master plan for investment attraction.

In particular, the “Busan Metropolitan City Urban Convergence Special Zone Project Council,” which will lead the development of the special zone in a systematic manner, was officially launched today (the 24th), further strengthening execution capacity.

Kim Kyung-duk, Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs, will serve as Chair, and private-sector experts—including Master Planner Jo Nam-jun (MP; Nanyang Technological University Chair Professor), Chief Architect Woo Sin-gu, and Chief Designer Na Gun—will participate, taking on a control-tower role to lead the formulation and execution of the Centum 2 District master plan going forward.

Also, at the first meeting held today (the 24th), IBM Senior Researcher James Hedricks will attend to discuss measures to attract global companies and build an industrial ecosystem, advancing efforts to develop a practical business model.

Mayor Park Heong-joon said, “The groundbreaking ceremony for the Centum 2 advanced industrial complex is the signal flare for proactively creating Busan’s own differentiated urban convergence special zone. We will go beyond ‘a second Pangyo’ to become a global innovation city and make Busan a city where talent gathers.” He added, “We will spare no support so that the special zone can become a key hub that draws in and anchors regional talent.”

He continued, “The groundbreaking for the Centum 2 District is a symbolic start that lays the foundation for Busan’s next 100 years even amid difficult economic conditions,” and emphasized, “Based on the strong implementation framework of the Project Council, we will develop this into a key base of Global Hub City Busan where world-class companies and talent come together.”