Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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글로벌 허브로 거듭나는 부산 북극항로 시대를 열며 부산시장이 말하는 해양수도로서의 차별화 전략

Last week, a container ship left Korea's southern port of Busan, heading north to test an Arctic commercial route that could cut sailing time to Europe.
Our political correspondent Ahn Sung-jin sat down with the mayor of the port city to hear how he plans to make Busan a global hub, from Arctic shipping to tourism.

Busan, Korea’s second-largest city, is home to more than three million people.
Located on the country’s southeastern coast, the city is seeking to expand its role as a hub for both maritime industries and tourism.
At the center of that vision is a push to establish Busan as Korea’s maritime capital.

"What Korea needs is a new growth center outside the Seoul metropolitan area that can compete with the capital on equal footing. By doing so we can move to a more balanced, multi-centered economy.

The Mayor of Busan says this transformation will build on opportunities already emerging, including the Northern Sea Route, a shipping highway through the Arctic that is a potential shortcut for global trade between Asia and Europe as polar ice melts.

The PanStar Acro container ship departed from Busan on August 22nd, marking the first time a Korean container ship makes the journey.
The round trip is expected to take about 40 to 45 days.

"Once the ship returns, we'll have a lot of valuable data from the optimal routes to water depth, ocean currents, weather conditions and the movement of polar ice. We need to keep building that database to help us collect the expertise and technology we need which would give Busan a real competitive advantage in Arctic shipping."

The Arctic route is just one part of Busan's broader ambitions.
Chun, who previously served as Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, also says the city is preparing to host the 2028 United Nations Ocean Conference.
Beyond shipping and ports, Busan's beachside district of Haeundae has been designated as Korea's first global tourism special zone and the city looks to build on that momentum.

"We look to significantly expand the tourism budget for next year to invest more heavily in tourism infrastructure, content and experiences so tourists have even more reasons to come back. I had immediately set up a tourism task force after taking office, and our goal is to make Busan a tourism city that represents not only Korea but the world."

For Mayor Chun, the vision is clear: make Busan a maritime capital, a global tourism destination, and ultimately, one of Korea’s next major growth engines.

Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News, Busan.

#Busan #Arctic_Route #Maritime_Hub #부산 #북극항로 #해양수도 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스

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2026-08-28, 10:00 (KST)