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Busan Metropolitan City Launches “Bridge & Sustain Project” to Stabilize Employment in the Maritime, Port, and Logistics Industries

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Park Heong-joon, announced that it will fully launch the “2026 Busan Maritime, Port, and Logistics Industry Bridge & Sustain Project” to proactively respond to employment risks facing the maritime, port, and logistics industries amid international instability, including the prolonged Middle East conflict.

The project is funded through KRW 1.5 billion secured from the Ministry of Employment and Labor after being selected for the Regional and Industry-Specific Employment Support Program (Bridge & Sustain Project). Its goal is to enhance employment stability for workers in the regional maritime, port, and logistics industries while strengthening industrial competitiveness.

Busan is the nation’s largest logistics hub, handling 77.5 percent of the country’s container cargo volume. It is also one of Korea’s most highly concentrated industrial clusters, employing approximately 39,000 workers in the maritime, port, and logistics sectors.

However, the prolonged conflict in the Middle East and changes in the global logistics environment have recently driven up shipping rates and logistics costs, increasing management burdens for related companies.

In particular, the industry’s high proportion of small businesses and temporary or daily workers limits its capacity to maintain employment, increasing the need for support measures that prevent the loss of skilled workers and reinforce the foundation for employment stability.

Through this project, the city will implement two support programs: “Bridge Support” for retired workers seeking reemployment and “Sustain Support” for current employees to help them remain employed.

“Bridge Support” provides job transition and reemployment incentives of up to KRW 1 million to workers who have been reemployed in maritime, port, and logistics-related industries after February 28 of this year following separation from jobs in upstream or downstream sectors related to the maritime, port, and logistics industry. A total of 450 individuals will be supported, and incentives will be provided in the form of local currency after confirmation of continued employment following reemployment.

“Sustain Support” assists employees and temporary workers at small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-sized companies in Busan’s maritime, port, and logistics sectors by subsidizing expenses related to housing, health, transportation, and welfare. The city plans to support a total of 1,800 individuals by providing welfare grants of KRW 300,000–500,000 per person in local currency to help stabilize living conditions and encourage long-term employment.

Applications for the project open today, June 18.

Detailed information, including eligibility requirements and application periods, is available in the official announcement posted on the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry website at https://www.bcci.or.kr. Inquiries may also be directed to the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry at +82-51-990-7077.

Kim Bong-cheol, Assistant Mayor of Digital Economy Office, stated, “The maritime, port, and logistics industry is a key sector supporting both Busan’s economy and the nation’s logistics competitiveness. Through this project, we will do our utmost to retain employment for current workers despite international uncertainties, prevent the outflow of skilled personnel, strengthen the foundation for employment stability, and create a sustainable basis for regional economic growth.”