Busan Unveils 48 New and Revised Measures Across Five Fields in 2026
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Busan Unveils 48 New and Revised Measures Across Five Fields in 2026
□ Busan Metropolitan City has released its 2026 reforms, comprising 48 systems and policies across five key fields closely tied to everyday life.
○ The announcement aims to clearly communicate with community members and improve their experience, while simplifying the understanding of upcoming changes slated for 2026.
○ In the context of a shifting global economic uncertainty, the city underscores citizen-oriented resources and a variety of initiatives designed to ensure financial security and translate its vision into action: ‘Busan, Your Home for Today and Beyond.’
□ The five fields are: ➊ Economy, Employment, and Youth, ➋ Childbirth and Early Care, ➌ Health, Welfare, and the Environment, ➍ Urban Planning, Transportation, and Safety, and ➎ Culture, Sports, and Tourism. Details for each sector are outlined below.
□ [Economy, Employment, and Youth]
○ To ease challenges faced by SMEs and local business owners, the ceiling for SME development funds will be augmented to 1.8 billion won per establishment; interest support rates for SME development and working capital funds, as well as supplementary funds for small businesses, will also be raised by 0.5 percentage points.
○ To facilitate smoother local business closures, the maximum subsidy for related expenses will be enhanced to 4.5 million won.
○ Water utility bills will rise by 8 percent to guarantee a stable supply.
□ [Childbirth and Early Care]
○ To encourage the healthy growth of those enrolled in nurseries, daily meal and snack allowances will be extended (600 won for babies, 1,160 won for toddlers).
○ On top of current aid for essential nursery fees, the city will finance parent-borne event costs for ages 3–4 and special offering costs for ages 3–5, thereby strengthening free childcare for attendees aged 3–5.
○ A 100,000-won benefit will be granted each month to 3- to 5-year-olds attending nurseries in Busan who belong to foreign resident households.
(Childbirth & Child Care Division / ☎ 888-1575) * A foreign resident is defined as an individual who has lived in Busan for more than 90 days.
□ [Health, Welfare, and the Environment]
○ The scope of the Busan Care Service will be expanded to households earning up to 100 percent of the median income, with eight types of services provided (housing condition upgrades and at-home workouts added).
○ Repair and maintenance relief will be made available to victims of rental fraud who are compelled to reside in deteriorated houses.
○ For infection prevention, eligibility for influenza vaccination at no charge will be broadened to children aged 14 and under, and 12-year-old boys will be covered as part of the complimentary HPV vaccination program.
○ The Busan Developmental Disability Support Center will reopen as the Busan Center for Disabled Children & Developmental Disabilities, integrating welfare for families of children with disabilities.
□ [Urban Planning, Transportation, and Safety]
○ On weekdays (excluding holidays), during commuting hours—06:00–09:00 and 17:00–20:00— tolls at Garak Tollgate will be waived for vehicles owned or leased by residents and businesses registered in the city, advancing mobility support.
○ Reimbursement rates under the K-Pass for seniors aged 65 and older will be set at 30% (up from 20%), and the K-Pass Everyone Card will be rolled out to intensify access to mass transit.
○ Elderly drivers who voluntarily surrender their licenses will be entitled to a 300,000-won incentive via Dongbaekjeon.
○ Compensation for subsidence injuries will be newly included in the Citizen Safety Insurance, and certain existing coverage items will be upgraded.
□ [Culture, Sports, and Tourism]
○ Annual assistance for the Culture Voucher for vulnerable populations will be boosted to 150,000 won, with an extra 10,000 won given to specific age groups (13–18 and 60–64).
○ Three hundred local artists aged 39 and younger, previously in policy blind spots, will receive a monthly stipend of 1 million won for a duration of nine months
○ To diversify cultural opportunities for young people, exhibitions will be featured in the Busan Youth 10,000 won + Culture Pass package, and separate recruitment will be conducted by voucher category.
□ Comprehensive guidance, such as execution timelines, is posted on the city’s website (busan.go.kr). For further questions, please contact the relevant division.
□ Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “Grounded in the breakthroughs and milestones achieved thus far, we will endeavor to realize the goal, ‘Busan, Your Home for Today and Beyond.’ We will persist in identifying and putting into practice frameworks that directly serve citizens, with a focus on resilience and happiness.”
