Port City Busan's Next Big Move: 'Global Brand'

World City Brand Forum to Be Held at Nurimaru APEC House on Nov. 4

International Design Experts and Taipei Deputy Mayor Among Speakers

Busan Mayor Jeon Jaesu to Present Maritime City Strategy for the Arctic Shipping Route Era

Can Busan evolve beyond a port and logistics hub into a city that people from around the world visit and choose to stay in? Domestic and international experts will come together to discuss how to develop the sea as both part of Busan's identity and a globally recognized city brand.

Busan City, led by Mayor Jeon Jaesu, announced on November 1 that it will hold the 2026 World City Brand Forum (WCBF) at Nurimaru APEC House in Haeundae-gu at 2:30 p.m. on November 4.

This year's forum is themed "Busan, the Maritime Capital, Becomes a Global Brand." Around 200 people are expected to attend, including representatives from public institutions and academia, city branding experts, and citizens.

Now in its fourth year, the forum was launched in 2023. It provides a platform for city branding and design experts to share strategies for enhancing urban competitiveness. This year, it will focus on how to introduce Busan's distinctive identity to the world, with the sea at its center.

In the first session, domestic experts will examine how to turn a region's distinctive resources into a brand. Park Jihyun, CEO and creative director of Ikseondada, will explain how branding that begins in a small place can grow to shape a city's image.

Lee Jeongeun, team leader at Yoon Design Type Studio, will present on urban identity and visual communication through the use of dedicated typefaces. Kim Cheolwoo, CEO of the RTBP Alliance, will explore Busan's future through the lens of its historic port.

The main program, beginning at 4 p.m., will feature international design experts. Luisa Bocchietto, former president of the World Design Organization (WDO), will deliver a keynote address outlining a city branding strategy that combines maritime lifestyles with design innovation.

Taipei City Deputy Mayor Jang Wondeo will present examples of urban regeneration through citizen participation and design in everyday life. Kelly Chen, founder and creative designer of The Press Room, will discuss Singapore's urban image, while Dirk Schumann, founder of Schumann Design and a product designer, will present on urban design that makes Busan's natural environment accessible in everyday life. Na Geon, chief designer for Busan City, will moderate a panel discussion with the international speakers.

Mayor Jeon will also take the stage. Marking the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Port of Busan, he will reflect on the city's history of growth as a port city and explain his vision for making Busan a global maritime hub in preparation for the Arctic shipping route era. The strategy aims to strengthen Busan's maritime industry by building up its maritime administration, judicial system, corporate sector, and financial infrastructure.

The city will also present a vision of city branding that goes beyond tourism. Citing figures including the 3.43 million foreign tourists who visited Busan through August this year, Busan City plans to outline ways to encourage tourists to return and to turn their visits into corporate investment and talent retention.

Mayor Jeon said, "For the past 150 years, Busan has grown by connecting with the world through the sea. We will prepare for the Arctic shipping route era and take a leap forward as a global maritime hub."

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