Aviation, Tourism, and Healthcare... Korea-Japan Coastal Cities Unite as Busan Discusses Exchange and Cooperation with Nagasaki

Busan Mayor Park Hyungjun Meets with Governor of Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan

Let’s unite as coastal cities facing the Korea-Japan Strait.

The Busan Metropolitan Government (Mayor Park Hyungjun) announced on the 17th that on the previous day, Mayor Park Hyungjun met with Oishi Kengo, Governor of Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, and his delegation at City Hall to discuss ways to promote exchange and cooperation between Busan and Nagasaki Prefecture.

This visit was arranged to continue discussions on strengthening practical cooperation between the two regions, following the visits to Busan by Baba Yuko, Vice Governor of Nagasaki Prefecture, in April and August.

Busan Mayor Park Hyungjun is shaking hands with Oishi Kengo, Governor of Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, who is visiting Busan.

Mayor Park Hyungjun emphasized, "In order to cooperate with Japanese cities, exchanges with coastal cities along the Korea-Japan Strait, such as Nagasaki Prefecture, are especially important." Busan and Nagasaki Prefecture signed the "2025 Friendship Exchange Agreement" in July and have since continued to share information on air routes and expand cooperation in tourism. Last year, the two cities marked the 10th anniversary of their friendship and cooperation, and this year, they are carrying out a variety of joint projects, including cultural exchanges related to the Joseon Tongsinsa and multilateral cooperation projects among Korea, China, and Japan.

Mayor Park also said, "Various international events will be held in Busan from October to November, including the opening of the 106th National Sports Festival on the 17th," and expressed hope that many tourists from Nagasaki Prefecture would enjoy autumn in Busan.

He added, "Through policy exchange and information sharing, we can promote prosperity for both cities," introducing Busan’s key policies in areas such as healthcare and tourism, and citing examples from Nagasaki Prefecture. He further stated, "Since Busan has been designated as the World Design Capital for 2028, there is significant potential for cooperation in the design industry and city branding sectors as well."

Governor Oishi Kengo said, "If a direct flight route between Busan and Nagasaki is established, there will be more active tourism exchanges between the two regions," and expressed hope that more citizens would be able to travel conveniently between the cities.

Currently, Air Busan operated charter flights between Busan and Nagasaki during the October holiday period, specifically on the 1st-2nd, 4th-5th, 7th-8th, and 10th-11th. Governor Oishi introduced Nagasaki Prefecture’s healthcare support policies and showed great interest in Busan’s related policies as well.

Mayor Park Hyungjun emphasized, "This year marks the meaningful 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan, and we will continue to expand cooperation with major Japanese cities."

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