Busan City Selects '2022 Citizen-Resonated Best Administration' ... Wave of Innovation Spreading Worldwide

Journey to Asia's Top 10 Happiest Cities

Summary of Survey Results from Over 3,860 Participants

Busan City Hall.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] Busan City announced the ‘Best Administrative Achievements’ that led Busan’s growth and citizens’ happiness throughout this year, based on a citizen survey conducted on the city’s homepage (with over 3,860 participants) and opinions from journalists and others.

The ‘2022 Citizen-Consensus Best Administration’ selected 13 administrative achievements across four major fields: ▲Future Vision ▲Citizen Happiness ▲Issue Resolution ▲City Brand.

First, in the Future Vision category, projects that steadily advanced large-scale initiatives for Busan’s next 100 years and produced results were selected.

▲The 2030 Busan World Expo bid, which gained momentum after being recognized for its competitiveness in three rounds of presentations and is now preparing for on-site inspections and final decisions next year ▲The early construction of Gadeokdo New Airport, accelerating progress by exempting preliminary feasibility studies to meet the goal of opening before the 2030 World Expo ▲Passing the preliminary feasibility study for the Phase 2 redevelopment project of Bukhang, a core infrastructure that is the center of the global new marine industry and key to securing competitiveness for hosting the 2030 World Expo ▲The push to relocate the Korea Development Bank to Busan as a driving force for the city’s leap to a global financial hub ▲Attracting corporate investments totaling a record 3 trillion KRW were selected.

In the Citizen Happiness category, achievements that improved transportation and living environments, which closely affect citizens’ daily lives, were selected.

▲The opening of the Seomyeon?Sasang BRT, a groundbreaking infrastructure for advancing Busan as a public transportation-centered city ▲The launch of the YOLO Galmaetgil trail, transforming Busan into a world-class walking destination ▲The introduction of continuous toll discounts on toll roads, significantly reducing transportation costs for Busan citizens were selected.

In the Issue Resolution category, achievements that resolved long-standing projects causing inconvenience to citizens and fulfilled regional development needs were selected.

▲Securing the Saenggok landfill site, a model case of public-private cooperation resolving a 30-year-old issue and leading a permanent and flexible resource circulation system ▲The confirmation of the Hadan?Noksan urban railway line as a national project to alleviate chronic traffic congestion in the western Busan area and improve accessibility to Gadeokdo New Airport ▲The designation of nine major Busan regional issues as national agenda items, providing a turning point for their resolution were selected.

In the City Brand category, achievements that enhanced Busan’s brand value by realizing administrative values that encapsulate Busan’s vision and dynamism in 2022 were selected.

▲Achieving 22nd place worldwide and 1st in Korea in the evaluation of Busan as a smart city through a successful leap to a digital-centered economy ▲Busan’s selection by National Geographic as one of the ‘25 Breathtaking Destinations and Experiences in 2023’ were selected.

Mayor Park Hyung-jun evaluated, “2022 was a year that laid the foundation to expand the wave of innovation that occurred in Busan beyond the city to the entire Republic of Korea,” adding, “We will continue to develop policies that resonate with citizens, and all administrative efforts will unite to ensure that key projects critical to Busan’s future achieve even greater results.” He expressed his determination, saying, “I thank the citizens who showed interest in the administration, and next year, we will communicate more frequently and work together with citizens to create a Busan where people want to live again even if reborn.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.