Kang Moo-gil, Chair of the Busan City Council, has identified the relocation of HMM's core functions to Busan and the construction of a second runway at Gadeokdo Airport as key tasks to be accomplished during the 10th council's term.
Despite the current political landscape of a divided council, he aims to demonstrate the council's value through tangible achievements in transforming Busan into a marine capital.
On the two-month anniversary of his inauguration, Chair Kang outlined the specific missions of the three special committees established by the 10th council.
Regarding the Marine and New Airport Development Special Committee, he stated, "We will drive HMM, which has declared the Busan era, to relocate its core functions, attract additional shipping companies, and push for the construction of a second runway at Gadeokdo Airport."
The Special Committee for Attracting Businesses and Revitalizing Industrial Complexes will target both aging industrial complexes and new high-tech industrial zones. Kang emphasized, "We will tighten our efforts to enhance the competitiveness of aging industrial complexes while accelerating the attraction of excellent companies and public institutions to the Centum City 2 area and the 53rd Division, which are set for significant development."
As for the Special Committee for the Development of Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam, he remarked, "We will review cooperative projects between Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam in line with the national balanced development strategy and accelerate the establishment of a super-regional economic zone in the southeastern region."
Kang's emphasis on industry and business attraction stems from the stark job disparity between the capital region and Busan. He noted that 74.5% of the top 20% of jobs preferred by college graduates are concentrated in the capital region, and when the capital region's wages are set at 100, Busan's relative wage level stands at 87.
Demographic indicators are even more telling. The youth population in Busan, aged 20 to 39, has decreased from 1.017 million in 2011 to 773,000 in 2026, a drop of 240,000 over 15 years. In contrast, the proportion of the elderly population reached 25.4% as of January this year, surpassing that of Seoul (20.5%), Incheon (19.0%), and Daegu (22.2%), making it the highest in the country.
With both youth outflow and aging occurring simultaneously, attracting businesses alone will not change the region's demographic structure. The key issue is creating a wage and industrial ecosystem that allows young people to choose careers and settle in Busan.
In response, Kang stated, "Busan must leverage its strengths in marine and logistics to cultivate new growth engines in finance, semiconductors, bio, and content, creating a virtuous cycle of high-wage job creation. We need to accelerate infrastructure projects like Gadeokdo Airport, North Port redevelopment, and Centum City 2 while also establishing a legal and institutional framework suitable for a global hub city through regulatory relaxation and tax support."
However, Kang clarified that future industrial strategies cannot replace immediate livelihood concerns. He stressed, "No matter how rosy the future blueprint may be, it is of no use if citizens' lives are collapsing right now," underscoring the urgency of restoring the local economy.
To this end, he plans to hold regular 'on-site livelihood meetings' and enhance 'economic policy discussion forums' in collaboration with the local business community. Kang expressed his commitment to ensuring that the voices of self-employed individuals, small business owners, and local enterprises become central to the administration and serve as a compass for policy direction.
Leading a divided council politically is also a significant challenge. The 10th Busan City Council has adopted the slogan, 'Only Citizen Happiness! Only Busan Development! A Dynamic Council of Cooperation and Oversight.' While collaborating on major issues requiring cooperation with the Busan City government, the council aims to maintain its fundamental role of reviewing and monitoring budgets and policies.
Kang stated, "Both the city council and the Busan City government share the same goal of citizen happiness and Busan's development," but he firmly asserted, "We will not be hindered by the necessity of cooperation."
In conclusion, he remarked, "Busan is now standing at the threshold of a great leap forward," pledging to push forward with the construction of Gadeokdo Airport, North Port redevelopment, future industry development, and the transformation into a marine capital, ensuring that these efforts yield tangible results for the citizens.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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