'Administrative Innovation and Performance Creation'... Busan Holds First Expanded Executive Meeting in Second Half of 8th Term

9:00 AM on the 15th at City Hall, presided over by Mayor Park Hyungjun, attended by heads of offices, bureaus, headquarters, deputy heads of districts and counties, and heads of public institutions

Mayor Park emphasizes, "All city capabilities must be mobilized so that Busan citizens can truly feel the key city administration values of 'innovation' and 'happiness.'"

In the latter half of the 8th popularly elected term, all municipal organizations are joining forces to fully activate the engine driving the 'Global Hub City' initiative through swift administrative innovation and the creation of tangible results.

On the morning of the 15th at 9 a.m., Busan Metropolitan City will hold its first expanded executive meeting following the organizational restructuring, presided over by Mayor Park Hyungjoon in the city hall's main conference room. More than 60 participants, including Mayor Park, heads of departments and bureaus, deputy heads of districts and counties, and heads of public corporations and funded organizations, will attend.

This expanded executive meeting marks the two-year anniversary of the 8th popularly elected administration. All city organizations are gathering in one place to engage in in-depth discussions on the full-scale promotion of the 'Global Hub City' and the 'Busan-style Population Policy and Regional Vitality Enhancement Measures.' The meeting aims to share current issues and seek inter-agency cooperation for administrative innovation and the achievement of concrete results.

On this day, Mayor Park will share the status of major initiatives in the creation of the 'Global Hub City,' which is set to become the new future of Korea, and will present future directions and tasks to achieve tangible results in each policy area.

▲ Global Finance

Following the designation of the Financial Opportunity Development Zone (June 25), which provides a package of benefits including tax support and regulatory exemptions, the city plans to thoroughly prepare for the foundation of a global financial hub by boldly attracting financial companies through corporate support, the discovery of special cases, the creation of business attraction infrastructure, and the training of industry-academia-linked talent.

▲ Global Industry

The city will focus all its capabilities on transforming the Centum 2 District Urban High-Tech Industrial Complex into a hub of advanced industries and a youth job-centered town by attracting international companies in information and communication technology (ICT), knowledge services, film and video content, and convergence component materials.

▲ Global Design

With three main strategies?creating future value for the 'Global Hub City,' establishing a design convergence ecosystem, and nurturing talent and venture companies?the city plans to shape Busan into a city worthy of the 'Global Hub City' title through powerful public design innovation.

Furthermore, under the vision of 'Busan, a City of Population Vitality Where All Citizens Are Happy,' the meeting will focus on Busan-style population policies and agency-specific issues centered on six key areas: ▲jobs ▲youth ▲families ▲shrinking society ▲super-aged society ▲balance and inclusion, to foster a dynamic population structure and strengthen adaptation to demographic changes.

As part of the Busan-style population policy, the city will strengthen its comprehensive coordination function for demographic changes in conjunction with national policies by discovering strategic population policies using the Local Extinction Response Fund, promoting the inflow and settlement of overseas talent, and ensuring effectiveness through the evaluation and review of existing population policy projects. (Establishment of the Population Policy Officer on July 1, 2024)

Additionally, based on the three key words of 'opportunity, stability, and vitality,' the city will pursue advanced strategies to attract young people, such as customized talent development reflecting field demand, the development of Busan-style stay content incorporating youth sensibilities, and diversification of study abroad strategies to attract international students.

(Expanding Residential and Stay Population) ▲Busan Urban Corporation will implement customized housing supply policies for the residential stability of incoming populations such as youth, while ▲Yeongdo-gu will establish an active response to the risk of population extinction by forming a sustainable local ecosystem led by the private sector through public-private cooperation, regional branding centered on local commercial districts, and the creation of regionally specialized food and beverage (F&B) industries.

(Enhancing Regional Vitality) ▲Busan Economic Promotion Agency will focus on revitalizing the local economy by supporting the organization of neighborhood commercial districts, developing neighborhood festivals and joint brands, and providing additional support to high-performing regions designated as 'Busan-style Neighborhoods.' In particular, efforts will be made to revitalize neighborhood commercial districts through the spread of Busan-style Loconomy (local + economy) linked to the 15-minute city concept. Additionally, ▲Busanjin-gu will promote the enhancement of village vitality by attracting tourists and revitalizing the village economy using the landscape resources of hillside villages through initiatives such as 'Connecting Lives,' 'Connecting Happiness,' and 'Connecting Vitality.'

(Creating an Age-Friendly City) ▲By 2026, the city will establish 'Haha Centers' in 62 residential areas to expand spaces for active seniors to form local communities and participate in society, addressing the desire of the new elderly generation for social and leisure activities. Furthermore, the 'Our Neighborhood ESG Center,' which originated in Busan and is spreading nationwide, will be established in one location per district and county, totaling 16 locations, to simultaneously address aging and revitalize the region by creating sustainable jobs that link the environment and senior employment.

Mayor Park Hyungjoon emphasized, "'Global Hub City' has already begun, and now is the time to leverage the innovative capabilities of our existing infrastructure, industries, and talent to deliver results with speed. All municipal organizations must unite their efforts to implement policies that enhance the quality of life and happiness of Busan citizens." He added, "'Number one in the nation for child-friendly cities' and 'number one in satisfaction with youth life among metropolitan cities' demonstrate that Busan is already a city where anyone can live well. Beyond concerns about the recent population decline and aging, our city must maximize its unique charm so that children, youth, middle-aged, and seniors can all enjoy vibrant daily lives within close social networks. I will build the unwavering belief that Busan's future is Korea's future through 'Global Hub City Busan.' I urge all departments to devote their full capabilities to ensure the flawless implementation of the 8th term's key values of 'innovation' and 'happiness' so that Busan citizens can truly experience them."

Busan City Hall.