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Latest Stories from Breeze in Busan

Lotte Card Breach Shows Korea’s Limits on Punitive Damages and Accountability

The 2025 Lotte Card breach, the company’s third major exposure in fifteen years, reveals how Korean financial institutions remain trapped in a cycle of weak enforcement, delayed detection, and eroding consumer trust.

12 min read

Busan’s ₩35 Billion Housing Plan for MOF Relocation Covers Just 100 Units

Busan has pledged 100 leased apartments and cash incentives for ministry staff moving from Sejong. With up to 600 households expected, the package risks falling short while the city’s downtown continues to shrink.

8 min read

How Busan’s ‘Busan Is Good’ Branding and Design Agenda Shaped City Policy

Mayor Park Heong-joon’s administration has leaned heavily on the language of design and global recognition. From Busan is Good to World Design Capital 2028, the city has promoted its image abroad while struggling to deliver measurable improvements in transport, housing, or jobs.

6 min read

Western Busan’s Tourism Push Faces Barriers of Access, Image, and Strategy

New cultural festivals are boosting Dadaepo’s profile, yet industrial backdrops, incomplete environmental fixes, and the absence of year-round programming limit its ability to rival Busan’s eastern icons.

3 min read

Busan Tourism Hits Record 2 Million Visitors in 2025, On Track for 3 Million by Year’s End

Busan welcomed over 2M foreign visitors by July 2025, a 23% rise YoY. The city is on course to exceed 3M arrivals for the first time.

4 min read

Busan Bets on Classical Music as New Halls Rise Across the City

Busan is expanding its cultural capacity with three major classical music venues, aiming to transform performance access, audience growth, and the city’s long-term cultural landscape.

3 min read

Busan Metro Crisis Shows Why the $1.1B Hadan–Noksan Line Stalled

Busan’s $1.1B Hadan–Noksan metro project has stalled after two failed tenders, exposing deep flaws in procurement laws, engineering risk management, and urban mobility planning.

17 min read

Can Nakdonggang River Survive Rising Heat and Mega-Urban Projects?

Rising temperatures, heavier floods, and urban expansion converge on the Nakdonggang River estuary, where decades of data reveal climate and ecological stress.

21 min read

Busan’s 22-Day Classical Music Festival Kicks Off Across the City

Busan opens the 16th Busan Maru International Music Festival, running Sept. 2–23 with concerts across new and historic venues under the theme “Soul in Classics.”

2 min read

The Decade That Decides Busan’s Future: Climate Resilience or Rising Vulnerability?

The 2025 summer delivered record-breaking heatwaves, floods, and economic shocks to Busan. Experts say the next ten years will decide whether the city transforms into a climate-resilient coastal hub—or faces escalating crises with outdated infrastructure and fragmented policies.

8 min read

Free Transfers Across Busan–Gimhae–Yangsan Transit Networks Start Sept. 19

Starting Sept. 19, intercity transfer fees across Busan, Gimhae, and Yangsan will be abolished, saving commuters over ₩5.5B annually.

4 min read

Korea’s Tattooist Act: From Legal Gray Zone to Public Health Regulation

Korea is moving to legalize tattooing under a strict public health framework, introducing licensing, safety rules, and oversight after decades in the shadows.

6 min read

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