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Strengthening International Development Cooperation Through the “Training Program for Ulaanbaatar City Officials of Mongolia”

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) and the Busan Global City Foundation (President Jeon Yong-woo) announced that the “2026 Training Program for Officials from Sister Cities in Developing Countries” began with its opening ceremony on June 22 and will continue through June 26.

The program was organized to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Busan–Ulaanbaatar friendship cooperation agreement, signed on August 3, 2016. Ten officials from Ulaanbaatar City have been invited to share experiences in urban policy and discuss future cooperation between the two cities.

Under the theme “Smart Transportation and Public Transit Innovation,” the program includes an orientation and opening ceremony on June 22, lectures and workshops on June 23, site visits and corporate tours on June 24, an action plan presentation, results-sharing session, and closing ceremony on June 25, and a policy study tour on June 26.

Ulaanbaatar is experiencing urban challenges such as traffic congestion, air pollution, and urban sprawl due to rapid urban growth and population concentration. As a result, the city has shown strong policy interest in improving public transportation and advancing its transportation management system.

Busan Metropolitan City plans to share its experience in operating transportation policies, including urban rail transit, transfer systems, transportation information services, and smart mobility initiatives, while discussing cooperation measures tailored to Ulaanbaatar’s local conditions.

Major program components include visits to policy implementation sites and related companies, such as the Busan Transportation Corporation Integrated Control Center and the Busan Metropolitan City Transportation Information Service Center, as well as thematic lectures.

Participants will directly examine Busan’s public transportation operating system, intelligent transportation systems, and transportation information services, and discuss how relevant policies could be applied to ease traffic congestion and improve public transportation in Ulaanbaatar.

In addition, lectures will be delivered on “Smart Transportation and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS): Strategies for Implementing Transportation Innovation in Ulaanbaatar Based on Cases from Busan and Korea” and “Strategies for Revitalizing Public Transportation Through Smart Mobility Based on Busan’s Experience.”

Busan Metropolitan City has operated invitation-based training programs for officials from sister cities in developing countries since 2013. By 2025, a total of 99 participants from 17 cities in 11 countries had taken part in the program.

Last year, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the sister-city relationship with Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, the city invited 13 officials from four Vietnamese local governments to participate in a training program focused on responding to the climate crisis.

Over the years, Busan Metropolitan City has shared policy experiences in various fields, including urban development, smart cities, culture and the arts, and climate crisis response. This year, marking the 10th anniversary of the friendship cooperation agreement between Busan and Ulaanbaatar, the city will continue cooperation in the areas of smart transportation and public transit innovation.

In particular, this year’s program includes transportation officials and working-level personnel responsible for traffic congestion reduction in Ulaanbaatar. Participants will discuss practical cooperation measures related to urban transportation operations, traffic accident reduction, road safety enhancement, and public transportation improvement.

Through the program, Busan Metropolitan City aims to gain a more detailed understanding of Ulaanbaatar’s policy needs and, based on its ongoing network with sister and friendship cities, identify additional cooperation agendas not only in transportation but also in areas such as climate and environment and public administration.

Na Yoon-bin, Director General of the Tourism and MICE Bureau of Busan Metropolitan City, said, “This year marks the meaningful 10th anniversary of the friendship cooperation relationship between Busan and Ulaanbaatar. This training program provides an opportunity to share Busan’s policy experience and for both cities to jointly explore solutions suited to their respective circumstances.”

He added, “We hope this program will contribute both to the policy development of Ulaanbaatar and to the export of Busan’s transportation systems. Moving forward, we will continue to strengthen trust with our sister and friendship cities and identify sustainable urban cooperation projects.”