Busan City Council debates maritime industry strategy for Arctic shipping era

The Marine City Safety Committee of the Busan City Council held a policy forum Thursday afternoon at the council's second-floor conference room to discuss strategies and development directions for the maritime industry in the Arctic shipping era.

About 50 people attended the forum, including committee members, legislative advisory council members, industry experts and Busan city officials. The event was organized to examine how Busan should respond to shifting conditions in the maritime industry — including the opening of Arctic shipping routes — and to gather expert and industry input to strengthen the committee's policy capabilities and members' legislative expertise.

Heo Yun-su, a senior research fellow at the Busan Research Institute, presented on the development direction of Busan's maritime industry toward completing its status as a maritime capital. He assessed current conditions and growth opportunities in the sector and outlined paths to upgrading traditional maritime industries — including shipping, port logistics, fisheries and shipbuilding — while fostering new maritime industries. "We must strengthen the links between infrastructure such as ports, airports and railways and the maritime industry, and boost Busan's competitiveness as a maritime capital through AI, digital and eco-friendly transitions," he said.

He proposed key priorities including the development of a maritime business belt around the North Port area, an AI, digital and eco-friendly transition for the maritime industry, and the establishment of Busan as a platform city for Arctic shipping routes. On the Arctic route specifically, he outlined plans to expand Busan's logistics and industrial base by building infrastructure for eco-friendly ship fuel supply, utilizing next-generation icebreaking research vessels and developing a skilled workforce.

The designated discussion session was moderated by Kang Young-hun, a research professor at Korea Maritime and Ocean University's Institute of Marine Science and Technology. Participants included Sim Jae-min, head of Busan's maritime capital strategy office; Busan City Council member Lee Yeol; Kim Geun-seop, a senior research fellow at the Korea Maritime Institute; Heo Ju-song, head of project finance at the Korea Ocean Business Corporation; and Hwang Jae-hyeok, executive director of the Busan Shipbuilding and Marine Equipment Industry Cooperative. They called for linking the development of Arctic shipping routes, the automation of Busan New Port and the construction of a ship repair dock at Gadeokdo to regional business growth and job creation.

Other key issues discussed included attracting domestic shipping companies and related businesses to Busan, revitalizing private maritime finance, expanding eco-friendly ship fuel supply infrastructure, and driving an AI and digital transition in the shipbuilding and marine equipment sector alongside the creation of shared industrial foundations.

Marine City Safety Committee Chair Yun Ji-young said a strategy is needed to connect Busan's port competitiveness to the growth of related industries such as maritime finance and shipbuilding equipment as the Arctic shipping era approaches. "We will translate the expert and industry opinions presented at this forum into concrete policy tasks to enhance Busan's competitiveness as a maritime capital and actively reflect them in our legislative activities," she said.