Busan

Busan has rebranded itself as a global, good-looking city—complete with AI-generated images, sleek slogans, and media-friendly urban design. But behind the aesthetics lies a growing silence. In its pursuit of visibility, is the city losing its voice?

A growing number of sinkholes near the Hadan–Sasang subway construction site are raising concerns about Busan’s broader underground transit strategy. As new projects like the Hadan–Noksan line and BuTX move forward, questions mount.

In its rush to modernize, Busan has developed a habit of building not toward its past, but around it. From Haeundae in the 1990s to Gangseo today, the city has preferred expansion over reinvestment—choosing new land over old neighborhoods, and visibility over inclusion.

Busan’s RISE program ambitiously seeks to revitalize regional universities, but with 20 institutions and 122 projects under one banner, the initiative risks scattering limited resources across a fragmented landscape.

Despite millions in revitalization funds, Busan’s neighborhood markets continue to empty out. A deeper structural crisis—marked by aging districts, hollow high-rises, and disconnected urban planning—demands a shift from short-term fixes to long-term ecosystem design.

Busan’s Special Architectural Zones promise innovation, but deliver exclusion. The recent rejection of a 99-story redevelopment reveals the limits of spectacle-driven planning in a city facing depopulation and inequality.

Busan’s attempt to lead AI innovation in local government offers a glimpse into the future of intelligent administration. But its newly issued AI ethics guideline, though well-intentioned, exposes a deeper problem.

As the world’s top policymakers prepare to tackle urgent marine issues at the 10th Our Ocean Conference, Busan offers a cinematic perspective on ocean protection.

Busan’s district offices have embraced AI-generated 'Ghibli-style' visuals to promote local attractions, yet critics argue the move prioritizes virality over values.

Busan is making a calculated leap toward design innovation, relaxing height, setback, and landscaping restrictions in exchange for architectural creativity and civic utility.

Busan’s ambitious “garden-type urban forest” expansion signals a growing shift in urban policy, using nature-based solutions to fight fine dust, heat islands, and public health disparities. Yet questions remain about whether neglected and industrial districts are being left behind.

Despite bold goals, Busan’s job strategy draws criticism for repeating past patterns without transparent results. Analysts call for structural reform, outcome tracking, and deeper alignment with industry needs.