BUUGKYEONG to Be Integrated into a Unified Living and Employment Zone

BUUGKYEONG "Regional Connection Project" Selected


Full-Scale Support for Youth Settlement and Metropolitan Commuting

Ulsan, Busan, and South Gyeongsang Province are joining forces to establish a unified living and employment zone that transcends administrative boundaries. With the selection of the Greater Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam (BUUGKYEONG) interregional job cooperation project in a government competition, large-scale regional cooperation to prevent the outflow of young talent and to improve settlement conditions is now set to begin in earnest.

On April 29, Ulsan City announced that together with Busan City and South Gyeongsang Province, it has been chosen for the Ministry of Employment and Labor's "Regional Connection Project" and will implement the "BUUGKYEONG Interregional Talent, Settlement, and Future Connection Project."

This initiative marks the first case in which metropolitan governments jointly plan and operate employment policies. It is expected to become a new turning point in the model for interregional job cooperation.

The project targets people working in BUUGKYEONG’s key industries such as shipbuilding, automobiles, and machinery parts, as well as young people seeking employment. Its main focus is to create an integrated BUUGKYEONG job ecosystem by providing settlement support, linking employment opportunities, and offering training and education.

The project will be carried out in phases over four years, from this year through 2029. For this year, a total budget of 12.5 billion won will be invested, including 10 billion won from the national government and 2.5 billion won from local governments.

Specifically, the project consists of three core areas—Talent Connection, Settlement Connection, and Future Connection—encompassing seven detailed sub-projects.

Among them, Ulsan City will focus on the "Settlement Connection" area, which supports metropolitan commuters and encourages them to settle in the region. Currently, there are approximately 180,000 cross-commuters within the BUUGKYEONG region, with about 41,000 of them working in key manufacturing industries.

For these workers, Ulsan City will provide a metropolitan commuter incentive of 300,000 won per month, up to a maximum of six months, totaling 1.8 million won. In addition, 500,000 won in local currency will be provided based on the workplace location, offering a maximum benefit of 2.3 million won per person.

The aim is to encourage consumption and lifestyle centered around the workplace, thereby creating a virtuous cycle for the local economy.

Furthermore, in cooperation with Busan and South Gyeongsang Province, the region will expand interregional employment services and jointly hold job fairs and employment support programs. Through these efforts, the flow of talent within BUUGKYEONG will be revitalized, and labor shortages in local industries will be addressed.

Ulsan City expects that this initiative will provide practical help in alleviating workforce shortages in key manufacturing sectors and in preventing the outflow of young people to the Seoul metropolitan area.

An Ulsan City official commented, "This project will serve as an important starting point in connecting BUUGKYEONG into a single living zone," adding, "By strengthening support for metropolitan commuting and settlement, we will make Ulsan a place where young people and workers want to stay."

Ulsan City Hall.

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