Busan is good

New expressway significantly reduces travel times between Mandeok and Centum

 On Feb. 10, the Mandeok-Centum Urban Expressway, Busan's first deep underground urban expressway, officially opened to the public. Stretching 9.62 km with four lanes, this deep-level tunnel reaches depths of 60 to 120 meters, connecting Mandeok-dong in Buk-gu District to Centum City along the Suyeonggang-byeon-daero in Haeundae-gu District. By bypassing surface traffic entirely, this new infrastructure forms a vital transport axis, marking a significant turning point in the shift toward an advanced underground traffic system. Designed to provide a fast and safe link between eastern and western Busan, the expressway is expected to drastically ease chronic congestion on Mandeok-daero and alleviate bottlenecks on major arterial roads like Chungnyeol-daero and Suyeonggang-byeon-daero, transforming traffic flow across the city.The impact on travel time is significant. Previously, travelling this route at an average speed of 18.2 kph took roughly 42 minutes. The new expressway boosts that speed to 61.7 kph, slashing travel time to just under 12 minutes. Even the journey from Gimhae International Airport to Haeundae, which used to take an hour, is now expected to be cut in half. Tolls vary by time of day. During peak commuting hours (7 a.m. to noon, 4 to 9 p.m.), the toll for passenger cars travelling from Mandeok IC to Centum IC is 2,500 won. Between midnight and 5 a.m., the toll is 1,100 won; all other hours it is 1,600 won. Tolls are automatically collected via Hi-Pass, registration on the Mandeok-Centum Expressway homepage, or manually via the website or customer call center.<Today's Vocabulary - 오늘의 단어>underground: 지하 expressway: 도시 고속화 도로 drastically: 대폭 alleviate: 완화하다Editor: Song SoomiCopy Editors: Ryu Hyoseung, Anton J. Mapoy

In 2026, Prestigious Masters Gather at Busan Concert Hall; Busan Signals Leap Toward Cultural City

In 2026, Prestigious Masters Gather at Busan Concert Hall; Busan Signals Leap Toward Cultural City□ Classic Busan has released the 2026 Busan Concert Hall Season Lineup.□ As the city’s inaugural classical music auditorium, the Busan Concert Hall has welcomed 120,000 patrons since June 2025 and is gearing up for an even richer and more diverse musical landscape in 2026.□ The Busan Concert Hall 1st Anniversary Festival is slated for July 3–8.○ The Asia Philharmonic Orchestra (APO)*, conducted by Art Director Chung Myung-whun, will be in residence during the festival, presenting major pieces from the classical repertoire: ▲ Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, ▲ Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 Choral, and ▲ Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 From the New World.* Composed of Asian musicians currently active in globally notable orchestras○ A public rehearsal tentatively titled ‘Maestro’s Room’ is designed to give local students the chance to interact with Director Chung.□ The World Star Series will commence with violinist Inmo Yang, the winner of the Paganini Competition and the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, alongside the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg on March 14 and continue on April 10 with Trio Owon, to which cellist Sung-Won Yang belongs.○ Pianist Yun Chan Lim, the youngest-ever laureate of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, will appear in recital on May 9; pianist Seong-Jin Cho, who participated in last year’s kick-off event, will collaborate with the Berlin Chamber Orchestra on July 15.○ On September 19, the Festival Strings Lucerne, under the direction of legendary pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, will take the stage. On September 20, Orchestre national de Metz will commemorate the 140th anniversary of Korea–France diplomatic relations.□ The Chamber Duo Series will spotlight Korean artists paired with their world-class mates: ▲ Clara-Jumi Kang Sunwook Kim on May 29 and ▲ Yubeen Kim Richard Egarr on August 20.□ The O

Study Busan Hub Unveiled Amid 22,000 International Students under City–College Cooperation

Study Busan Hub Unveiled Amid 22,000 International Students under City–College Cooperation□ On February 10, 2026, at 14:00, the Study Busan Hub opened on the second floor of the National Pension Service Busan Office in Yeonje-gu to deliver comprehensive services for international students.○ It combines international student support measures that were managed separately by individual schools and introduces a consolidated system jointly overseen by the city, colleges, and related organizations.○ Prior to the inauguration, a roundtable session outlined primary efforts and facilitated the sharing of real-life experiences and practical advice with senior peers.□ Based on the Regional Innovation-Centered University Support System (RISE), initiated in 2025, the Study Busan Hub seeks to nurture tailored future leaders through close collaboration between municipalities and higher education institutions.○ In the wake of discussions among colleges last year, Silla University and Dong-Eui Institute of Technology were selected as operators. The Busan Global City Foundation, a regional innovation body, came on board to help establish a centralized resource hub.□ At the ceremony, Busan announced its One-Team Busan vision in preparation for a projected international student population of 30,000, with 11 entities involving employment, healthcare, finance, and immigration signing MOUs.○ Busan, the Busan RISE Integrated Platform, the Busan Global City Foundation, Silla University, and Dong-Eui Institute of Technology are poised to coordinate full-cycle assistance from arrival onward, together with: ▲ the Busan Chamber of Commerce Industry, the Busan Enterprises Federation (employment), ▲ Busan Bank (finance), ▲ the Busan Immigration Office (social cohesion), ▲ Dong-Eui Medical Center, Dong-Eui University (healthcare), and many others.○ Key service fields encompass: ▲ (Finance) opening bank accounts using foreign passports, financial counseling, ▲ (Healthc