Busan's Mipo, Songjong ports selected for 'Fishery Village New Deal 3.0'

Busan city announced Tuesday that Mipo Port and Songjong Port in Haeundae-gu have been selected for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' 2027 Fishery Village New Deal 3.0 program, securing 6.9 billion won ($5.09 million) in state funding.

The Fishery Village New Deal 3.0 program is a government-led revitalization initiative designed to breathe new life into aging fishing villages and ports by integrating them into a single renewal framework. It follows two predecessor programs: the Fishery Village New Deal 300 project (2019–2024), which focused on repairing basic fishing infrastructure such as docks, breakwaters and waiting areas, and the Fishery Village Vitality Enhancement project (2023–2027), which expanded health, welfare and cultural facilities and created jobs to draw people back to coastal communities.

Mipo Port and Songjong Port applied under the "village recovery" category, aimed at improving living conditions and strengthening safety infrastructure in fishing communities, and were ultimately selected. The two sites will receive state funding to upgrade deteriorating port facilities and living environments, boost vitality in the fishing villages and stimulate the local economy. The project will run for four years, from 2027 to 2030.

The two selected fishing villages will see the establishment of fishery stations offering integrated resident welfare, care services and visitor information, the introduction of eco-friendly energy infrastructure including solar power facilities, and repairs to port facilities such as fishing gear warehouses and breakwater reinforcement. Capacity-building education for residents and social innovation programs will also run alongside the physical upgrades.

Meanwhile, Busan has been pursuing the Fishery Village New Deal 300 project and the Fishery Village Vitality Enhancement project since 2019, steadily expanding essential infrastructure and safety facilities in its fishing communities. The city's selection in this year's 2027 competition provides a new foundation for sustaining the long-term viability of fishing villages within the urban landscape.