Busan selects first 'specialized housing' project, to supply 993 units in Eco Delta City

Busan city announced Friday that its Eco Delta City Block 15 integrated public rental housing project, submitted jointly with Busan Urban Corporation, has been selected for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's "2026 First-Half Specialized Housing" competition.

The project marks the first time Busan has been chosen in a specialized housing competition. Submitted under the "region-proposed specialized housing" category, it is expected to serve as a turning point in the city's public rental housing supply.

The region-proposed specialized housing program allows public housing operators — in this case the city and the corporation — to design and propose eligibility criteria, selection methods and residency periods tailored to local conditions and demand. The initiative goes beyond simple housing supply, aiming to create a customized living environment linked to employment and lifestyle infrastructure.

The Eco Delta City Block 15 complex will be built in Gangdong-dong, Gangseo-gu, Busan. It will supply a total of 993 units — 200 region-proposed specialized units and 793 standard integrated public rental units — with workers at 11 industrial complexes in the Gangseo area, employees of small and medium-sized enterprises, and young adults as the primary target residents.

Busan Urban Corporation also secured additional central government funding by strengthening child-friendly facilities within the complex, including a toy library and a kids cafe. The core concept is to create a live-near-work residential base where tenants can settle close to their workplaces.

The 200 specialized units will consist of 50 family-settlement units and 150 youth-settlement units. Eligibility requirements will be eased — including allowing applicants who own one home outside Busan and relaxing asset thresholds — to lower the barrier to entry compared with standard integrated public rental housing and support residents in putting down roots in the city. Construction broke ground in May, with tenant recruitment planned for the first half of 2028, completion targeted for June 2029 and move-in set for July 2029.

The project also reflects a broader trend of companies and institutions relocating to Busan. Following corporate attraction efforts through the city's "Busan-style job-sharing program," the completed relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the moves of HMM's headquarters and other shipping firms, Busan is rapidly emerging as a major industrial hub.

The need for housing support for workers relocating with their families is also growing. The specialized housing project is expected to serve as a leading model for supporting the settlement of employees whose companies and institutions have moved to Busan, in step with the city's industrial transformation.