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Busan Metropolitan City Signs MOU to Foster Agreement-Based Specialized High Schools: Mayor Park Heong-joon, “We Will Cultivate Tailored Talent Needed for Busan’s Strategic Industries”

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) and the Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education (Superintendent Kim Seok-jun) announced that they will sign a memorandum of understanding today (March 25) at 17:00 in the International Conference Room of the Office of Education, together with companies, universities, and related organizations, to foster agreement-based specialized high schools.

This agreement was prepared in advance of the Ministry of Education’s 2026 public call for selecting agreement-based specialized high schools, with the aim of establishing a foundation for cooperation among regional institutions and consolidating local capabilities.

Agreement-based specialized high schools represent a model in which local governments, offices of education, companies, and universities collaborate through formal agreements to provide customized education aligned with key regional industries and development strategies, thereby nurturing locally rooted talent needed in the region. The core objective is to enhance the educational competitiveness of specialized high schools and cultivate talent that meets the demands of local industries.

Since the program began in 2024, 10 schools have been selected annually, resulting in a total of 20 schools nationwide. In Busan, Busan Tourism High School was selected last year. This year, another 10 schools will be selected nationwide, and Busan will apply with two schools: Gyeongnam Technical High School and Geumsaem High School.

Each school plans to accelerate the cultivation of field-oriented talent by signing agreements with relevant institutions in areas linked to Busan’s strategic industries. A total of 10 institutions, including Busan Metropolitan City, will participate in this agreement.

Gyeongnam Technical High School will establish a talent development system in the shipbuilding and offshore plant sector in collaboration with HJ Shipbuilding & Construction, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, and the Korea Offshore & Shipbuilding Association. Geumsaem High School will focus on fostering specialized personnel in the power semiconductor sector in cooperation with IQLab Co., Ltd., Dong-Eui University, and Busan Techno Park.

Through this agreement, Busan Metropolitan City will provide administrative and financial support, while the Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education will offer institutional support such as designation as autonomous schools and teacher allocation. Schools will cultivate field-oriented talent through departmental restructuring and curriculum operation. Companies and related organizations will provide field training and recruit graduates, while universities will cooperate by operating linked curricula and supporting continuing education pathways.

The Busan Metropolitan City Office of Education will prepare and submit the project proposal to the Ministry of Education by April 23, and the Ministry is expected to announce the final results in June.

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “This agreement is highly meaningful in that it goes beyond educational cooperation for nurturing local talent and serves as a blueprint for Busan’s future industries,” adding, “Since a city’s competitiveness ultimately depends on its people, we will support the systematic development of tailored talent within the region to meet the needs of Busan’s strategic industries.”