Busan news, in-depth reporting, and editorial insights covering the city’s politics, economy, development, institutions, and social change.
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Coverage of Busan's politics, economy, civic institutions, and urban change, with local developments placed in their wider context.
As the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries prepares to move to Busan, debate intensifies over whether a new investment bank or a state-backed corporation can mobilize capital faster and more effectively.
Busan hosts Festival Shiwol 2025 with 26 cultural, business, and tourism events across the city, aiming to attract 3M foreign visitors.
Banyeo Elementary in Haeundae District reopens as Busan’s Eco-School, combining climate education with community facilities.
Busan will hold its second ESG capacity-building program for small and medium-sized enterprises on September 24, bringing together experts to address EU carbon rules, U.S. disclosure uncertainty, and workplace safety standards.
Three decades of growth made BIFF Asia’s top film festival. But Busan remains a host city without lasting industry roots, as decisions and jobs stay in Seoul.
IQ Lab opens Korea’s first 8-inch SiC fab, while NFS begins construction nearby, cementing East Busan’s role as a semiconductor manufacturing base.
At 30, the Busan International Film Festival redefines its global role. BIFF 2025 introduces the Busan Awards, premieres Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice, and gathers filmmakers from 64 countries for Asia’s largest film festival.
The city’s annual competition returns to BEXCO, offering exposure for small breweries while raising questions about long-term survival.
Korea’s southern region is betting on BuTX and new rail links to fight population loss. Evidence, however, shows that transport must be paired with jobs, education, and housing if balanced growth is to be achieved.
Busan’s international stature owes much to South Korea’s rising brand, but Busan’s own governance relies on event-driven spectacles.
Busan’s 15-minute city branding contrasts with reality: elderly downtowns, empty homes, and car-dependent Eco-Delta leave proximity as a slogan only.
The city hails a four-month pilot as a national model for AI in administration. Yet the project’s dialect-to-standard feature is hardly novel, while governance and accountability frameworks remain incomplete.
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