Busan Named 2028 World Design Capital... Second in South Korea

Enhancing Quality of Life and Solving Urban Issues Through Design
Mayor Park Hyungjun Delivers Acceptance Speech at World Design Congress
Declaration of "Urban Design Created Together with Citizens"

Busan has been named the World Design Capital. The city, which adopted the concept of "Every Citizen is an Urban Designer," has achieved a significant milestone.

The Busan Metropolitan Government (Mayor Park Hyungjun) announced on September 11 that Busan was officially declared the "2028 World Design Capital" at the World Design Congress held at the Barbican Centre in London, United Kingdom, at 4 p.m. local time on September 10.

The World Design Capital is an international program established by the World Design Organization (WDO) in 2008, which selects a city every two years that has led social, cultural, and economic development through design. With this achievement, Busan becomes the second city in South Korea and the eleventh city globally to be recognized, further establishing its international reputation for urban design capabilities.

In his acceptance speech for the 2028 World Design Capital, Mayor Park Hyungjun stated, "Urban design is the key to unlocking Busan's future," and emphasized, "It is not simply about changing the appearance of the city, but about shaping the way we think and the way we live." He added, "We will address various social issues through design-based policies."

Busan declared its theme as "Inclusive City, Engaged Design." Mayor Park said, "Design is no longer the exclusive domain of experts. In Busan, every citizen-from children to the elderly, from people with disabilities to immigrants-takes an active role in shaping urban design." He further stressed, "Busan will demonstrate that design can transform human life and lead the world in a better direction."

Going forward, the city plans to establish an operational system befitting its status as a World Design Capital and to develop sustainable implementation strategies based on public-private cooperation. Starting in 2026, Busan will launch a variety of citizen-participatory projects across the city.

Mayor Park stated, "Being designated as the World Design Capital is not merely an honor, but an opportunity to bring about groundbreaking changes in the quality of life for citizens and in various aspects of the city." He added, "Busan will transform into an international design hub that embraces everyone through design thinking."

Park Hyungjun, the mayor of Busan, is delivering the acceptance speech for the World Design Capital.

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