BPA Characters 'Haebeom and Ppupu' Win Excellence Award in Public Sector for Second Consecutive Year

Ranked Third Overall at the Korea Local Government and Public Character Festival Grand Contest

The official characters of Busan Port Authority (BPA, President Song Sanggeun), 'Haebeom and Ppupu', won the Excellence Award in the public sector at the '2025 Korea Local Government and Public Character Festival Grand Contest'.

BPA characters 'Haebeom and Ppupu' are receiving the Excellence Award in the public sector.

This award marks the second consecutive year of recognition, following last year's Encouragement Award.

A total of 33 organizations participated in this contest, including 20 public institutions, 10 local governments, and 3 festivals. The final winners were selected through a nationwide online vote and expert evaluation. The BPA characters received approximately 8,500 votes and achieved high scores in categories such as character storytelling, utilization performance, and merchandise development, ultimately ranking third overall.

The awards ceremony was held on September 13 at the Daejeon Convention Center (DCC). In celebration of their win, Haebeom and Ppupu operated a promotional booth at the event and hosted a social media event for public participation, drawing significant attention.

Visitors took part in various programs, including taking photos with the characters, posting on social media, subscribing to official channels, and receiving limited-edition summer souvenirs upon completing these missions.

BPA plans to further expand the use of its characters for policy communication and support for local small businesses through intellectual property product development, with the aim of contributing to the revitalization of the local economy.

Song Sanggeun, President of BPA, said, "Thanks to the interest and support of the public, Haebeom and Ppupu have achieved excellent results for two consecutive years. We will continue to strive to establish them as friendly characters representing the identity of Busan Port and BPA by engaging in a variety of activities and developing new content."