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Busan Metropolitan City Reviews Safety and Tourism Readiness Ahead of Summer Beach Openings

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Acting Mayor Kim Kyung-duk, announced that it will hold the “2026 Beach Operations Briefing” today (May 26) at 3:00 p.m. in Small Conference Room 2 on the 12th floor of City Hall ahead of the opening of summer beaches.

The briefing was organized to strengthen cooperation among Busan Metropolitan City, district offices, and related agencies including the fire department, police, and coast guard, with the goal of operating “pleasant and safe premium beaches for all seasons.” Participants will share beach-specific operational plans and sectoral support measures.

This year’s beach season will begin on June 26 with the opening of Haeundae and Songjeong beaches, followed by the opening of Songdo, Gwangalli, Dadaepo (East and West), Ilgwang, and Imrang beaches on July 1.

As the number of beach visitors reached 21.979 million in 2025, an 11.4 percent increase from 2024, the city plans to focus its administrative capacity on strengthening safety management.

Before the opening, the city will complete risk assessments for all beaches and, based on the results, separately designate swimming areas and marine leisure zones. Safety personnel appropriate to visitor 규모 will also be deployed.

In addition, to address marine hazards such as jellyfish, rip currents, and severe weather conditions, major beaches including Haeundae, Gwangalli, and Ilgwang will install jellyfish barriers and harmful marine life prevention facilities. A joint response system involving the 119 Citizen Water Rescue Team, private water rescue teams, and the coast guard will also be established.

In particular, the Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters plans to operate 119 Citizen Water Rescue Teams at seven beaches from June through September, while reinforcing rescue response systems through concentrated deployment during peak season and the operation of rapid water rescue teams.

The city will also implement sector-specific support measures around beach areas to strengthen tourism readiness during the summer season.

These measures include hygiene management for lodging facilities, food safety management to prevent food poisoning caused by rising temperatures, traffic and parking management around beaches, price stabilization efforts to prevent overcharging, and monitoring of beach water quality and soil contamination.

Meanwhile, Busan Metropolitan City intends to shift the operational direction of its beaches in 2026 away from being merely summer vacation destinations and toward becoming year-round “stay-oriented marine leisure tourism platforms.”

The city will operate region-specific marine sports programs such as kayaking and scuba diving in Songdo, surfing in Songjeong, and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) in Gwangalli. Marine wellness programs including beach yoga, sunset Pilates, ocean running, and Singing Bowl Lounge programs will also be introduced.

In addition, the city plans to expand its year-round experiential marine leisure tourism infrastructure through events such as the Gwangalli M Drone Light Show, the Busan Sea Festival, and Korea International Marine Leisure Week.

Na Yoon-bin, Director General of the Tourism MICE Bureau, stated, “This summer, we will operate Busan’s beaches in a safe and pleasant environment so that both residents and tourists can visit with peace of mind,” adding, “We will foster Busan’s beaches not merely as summer vacation spots, but as year-round marine leisure tourism hubs that encourage visitors to return to Busan’s seaside.”