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Busan, a Global Maritime Capital, Connects Eurasia with Its Citizens! The 2026 Eurasia City Diplomacy Delegation Sets Off!

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, and the Busan Global City Foundation announced that the 2026 Eurasia City Diplomacy Delegation began its 12-day, 10-night journey yesterday, August 24, and will continue through September 4 to promote Busan as a global maritime capital and expand the foundation for exchanges and cooperation with major Eurasian cities.

Now in its ninth year, the Eurasia City Diplomacy Delegation is Busan’s flagship citizen-participatory city diplomacy initiative. It connects cooperation across a wide range of fields, including the economy, culture, tourism, youth and university exchanges, as well as study and employment opportunities, to generate tangible outcomes.

Launched in 2016, the Eurasia City Diplomacy Delegation has expanded the scope of citizen-participatory city diplomacy through journeys linking Asia and Europe from Busan while building a sustainable foundation for exchanges with major Eurasian cities.

The delegation officially began its itinerary with a launch ceremony held yesterday, August 24, at 08:30 in the Grand Conference Room at Busan City Hall.

Approximately 100 people attended the launch ceremony, including Busan Metropolitan City Vice Mayor for Future Innovation Oh Seok-keun, Busan Metropolitan Council Chair Kang Mu-gil, delegation leader Song Woo-hyun and deputy leader Jung Young-soo, 22 youth members, and representatives from universities, businesses and related organizations. The ceremony featured welcoming and congratulatory remarks, the delegation oath, presentation of the delegation flag and airline tickets, statements of commitment, and a performance by youth members.

The delegation will visit Shanghai, China; Almaty, Kazakhstan; Tashkent, Uzbekistan; and Liverpool and London in the United Kingdom. A cumulative total of approximately 100 youth representatives, businesspeople, university representatives and officials from related organizations will participate in city-specific programs.

Song Woo-hyun, Chair of the Administration and Culture Committee of the Busan Metropolitan Council, serves as delegation leader, while Second Vice Chair Jung Young-soo serves as deputy leader. The 22 youth members will act as citizen diplomats promoting Busan, while the 19 business delegates will help expand opportunities for Busan companies to enter overseas markets through business consultations and exchanges with local companies.

This year’s program will implement city-specific programs combining economic, cultural, educational and youth exchanges in four cities across four countries, pursuing city diplomacy along two key pillars: practical city diplomacy and strengthening Busan’s city brand.

In Shanghai, China, the first destination, 10 Busan companies in the fields of medical tourism, K-beauty, healthcare and food manufacturing will hold the Busan-Shanghai Business Consultation Meeting and conduct one-on-one consultations with local companies. Delegation members will also visit the Consulate General, youth entrepreneurship spaces and the Port of Shanghai to reflect on the significance of city diplomacy.

In Almaty, Kazakhstan, high-level bilateral talks and a business consultation meeting will be held to promote economic and tourism exchanges between the two cities, building on the launch of direct Busan-Almaty flights in May. Following information sessions on studying, job seeking and visas, cultural exchanges with students at Ablai Khan University, and intergenerational activities bringing together young people and ethnic Koreans, Busan Day in Almaty will commemorate the launch of direct flights and further expand exchanges in the economy, tourism and talent.

In Tashkent, Uzbekistan, approximately 500 Korean-language books and books introducing Busan will be donated to four institutions, including the National Children’s Library, and agreements will be signed for regular book exchanges. Busan Day in Tashkent, centered on a film screening, and exchanges with local youth will also introduce Busan and Korean culture.

In Liverpool, United Kingdom, marking the delegation’s first-ever visit to the city, 22 young people from Busan and 33 local university students will carry out joint missions around the city under the theme of port culture and media. The delegation will then hold a seminar with a local university on innovation exchanges between Korean and British cities and host Busan Day in Liverpool to promote exchanges between maritime and cultural cities. It will also visit BBC Radio Merseyside for an exchange with BeFM, the English-language radio service of the Busan Global City Foundation. In London, the delegation will visit the International Maritime Organization and the Korean Cultural Centre UK.

Vice Mayor for Future Innovation Oh Seok-keun said, “Every activity undertaken by each member of this delegation is a valuable seed for building Busan into a global maritime capital.” He added, “I hope you will take pride in serving as diplomats representing the citizens of Busan, actively engage with the people of the cities you visit, and share Busan’s appeal, capabilities and warmth with the world.”