Busan civic groups demand halt to plan merging four port authorities

Six Busan civic groups pushed back strongly Monday against the government's plan to merge the country's four port authorities, demanding the initiative be stopped immediately. The groups — the Busan Development Council for the Maritime Capital, the Busan Citizens' Solidarity for Decentralization and Balanced Development, the Citizens Together for a Maritime Capital and Maritime Power, the Decentralization and Balance Association, the Busan Port Development Council, and the Citizens' Association for Busan Port — held a press conference at the Busan City Council briefing room Monday morning, urging the government to halt merger discussions and instead expand the autonomy of the Busan Port Authority.

The government's Public Institution Function Reorganization Task Force finalized a plan in April to establish a unified "Korea Port Authority" by merging the port authorities of Busan, Incheon, Ulsan and Yeosu-Gwangyang. The government established the Busan Port Authority in 2004, followed by the Incheon Port Authority in 2005, the Ulsan Port Authority in 2007 and the Yeosu-Gwangyang Port Authority in 2011. The Ministry of Finance and Economy is leading the current consolidation drive under the banner of streamlining public institutions, while the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries — the primary ministry overseeing port affairs — has reportedly submitted an objection to the forced merger plan.

In response, the civic groups rebuffed the government's rationale. "Ports are key growth hubs linking regional economies to national logistics, and they are strategic assets responsible for local industries, jobs and future growth engines," they said. "The government's push to merge port authorities under the banner of 'public institution efficiency' ignores the distinct characteristics of each port and its regional development strategy — it is desk-bound policymaking that risks weakening South Korea's port competitiveness."

Park Jae-yul, co-chairman of the Busan Development Council for the Maritime Capital, said each port has a clearly defined role: Busan Port is a world-class container and transshipment hub that needs bolder investment and strategic planning to navigate the Arctic shipping route era and the reshuffling of global supply chains; Ulsan Port is centered on energy and liquid cargo; Gwangyang Port focuses on steel, containers and hinterland industries; and Incheon Port serves as the gateway to the Greater Seoul area. "Merging the port authorities and placing them under central government control would make it difficult to reflect regional voices and local characteristics," Park said. "It would only reinforce a Seoul-centric decision-making structure and run directly counter to policies on decentralization and balanced national development."

The civic groups argued that what is needed now is not consolidation but an expansion of autonomy and independence. "The authority of each port authority must be expanded so they can develop investment and management strategies suited to their regional characteristics," they said. They also urged the Lee Jae Myung government to shift toward a decentralization-oriented policy — one that preserves the competitive strengths of each port and significantly expands the autonomy of the Busan Port Authority and others, in line with a national strategy for a maritime capital and maritime power.

Meanwhile, the unions of all four port authorities, including the Busan Port Authority, have launched a joint campaign against the merger plan. Union leaders staged a picket protest in front of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries building in Dong-gu, Busan, on June 16, urging the government to "immediately withdraw the forced merger plan that goes against global trends and undermines South Korea's sovereignty over maritime logistics."

A regional maritime expert cautioned that a blanket merger of the four port authorities — each overseeing ports with distinct roles as strategic nodes in the global logistics network — could slow decision-making and erode specialized expertise. "Rather than consolidation, specializing each port's functions and strengthening autonomous management would be more efficient," the expert said.