Busan’s Bid for the EXPO 2030 BUSAN
About Busan
About Busan
Busan, a bustling city of approximately 3.5 million residents, is located on the southeastern tip of the Korean peninsula.
The natural environment of Busan is a harmonious relationship of mountains, rivers and sea with hot springs scattered throughout the city.
Its geography includes a coastline featuring superb beaches, scenic cliffs and mountains, providing excellent hiking and extraordinary views.
Busan enjoys four distinct seasons and a temperate climate that never gets too hot or too cold.
Busan, with a size of 770.07km², is the second largest city in Korea. Its deep harbor and gentle tides have allowed it to grow into the largest container handling port in the country and the sixth largest in the world.
The city's natural endowments and rich history have resulted in Busan's increasing reputation as a world class city for tourism and culture. As such, it is becoming renowned as a hot spot destination for international conventions.
Location
Geographically, Busan has the Straits of Korea to its south; Ulsan to the north; and Gimhae to the west.
Cities that share almost the same latitude with Busan include
Jinhae and Gwangju in Korea, as well as Tokyo, Algiers and Oklahoma City internationally.
Busan is eight hours ahead of GMT.
As for its geopolitical location, the city is located at the southern tip of a strip that connects Asia, Siberia and Europe.
It also serves as a main gateway to the Pacific Ocean.
This strategic location places the city at the center of international maritime transportation.
Population
From its opening in 1876, the port of Busan quickly helped the city develop into a hub of trade, commerce and industry. This development resulted in a rapid increase in its population.
By the end of 1994, there were approximately 4 million people who called Busan their home.
Since 1995, the population has slowly begun to decrease. As of December 2019,
Busan was home to 3,466,563 people, a decrease of 27,456 compared to 2018.
The male population consists of 49.2 percent, while the female population comprises 50.8 percent. The population of foreign residents living in Busan stood at 52,722, an increase of 156 compared to 2018.
Climate & Scenery
Busan is located at the southeasternmost tip of the Korean Peninsula and in the mid-latitude temperate zone, which receives seasonal winds. It has four seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter.
The annual average temperature is 14.9°C. The average annual precipitation is 144.19 cm.
Busan encounters stronger winds compared to other areas in Korea. Spring begins in March and ends in late June.
The rainy season at the end of June and July signals the beginning of the coming summer heat.
The highest mean temperature of around 32°C occurs at the end of July through mid-August.
Fall is from early September through late-November.
The weather is nice and cool at this time because of the continental high atmospheric pressure.
Winter starts by the end of November and continues until February, but Busan rarely receives any snowfall.
The average winter temperature is 3.8°C.
Tourists can enjoy Busan during all seasons because of the nice weather and beautiful scenery.
In summer the city is croweded with visitors, particularly Haeundae and Gwangalli beaches.
In addition to these two beaches, seven other beaches offer swimming and marine leisure activities.
Alongside Nakdonggang River, which borders the city, an ecological park the size of 63 soccer fields also beckons to those looking for opportunities to re-energize themselves before returning to their daily lives.
Visitors have the opportunity to take a stroll while enjoying the beautiful scenery along walkways that add up to a total of 278 km and connect the riverside, forests, coastline, and downtown area.
Culture
Busan is a major cultural nexus in the region. In particular, Busan is a city of festivals, arts and film, continuing to successfully host a variety of events such as the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), the Busan Fireworks Festival, the One Asia Festival, a global K-pop music festival, and the Busan Biennale, a biannual contemporary art exhibition.
Many museums are located in Busan, including the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan, Busan Museum of Movies, and the United Nations Peace Memorial Hall, which showcase the city’s unique culture and history.
In addition, Busan is home to many cultural attractions, such as Gamcheon Cultural Village, a residential community created in a stair-case fashion along a mountain slope in the 1950s.
Traditional Buddhist temples, such as Beomeosa Temple, built in the 7th century on Geumjeongsan Mountain, and Haedong Yonggungsa Temple,
constructed in 1376 on the edge of a mountain where it meets the sea, welcome visitors and boast breathtaking scenery.
Busan is also well-known for its traditional Korean cuisine, including Dwaeji Gukbap (pork soup with rice), Dongnae Pajeon (flour pancake made with whole scallions and various kinds of seafood), and fishcakes made of crushed and fried fish fillets at Bupyeong Market.
Jagalchi Market, one of Korea’s largest fish markets, offers all kinds of fresh seafood for which Busan is famous.
History
In the Joseon Period (1392-1897) during the reign of King Taejo (1392-1398), the administrative boundary (jin) around Dongnae (located in the central northern part of present day Busan Metropolitan City) was established. Later, during the reign of King Taejong (1400-1418), the "Daeil Gyoyeokjang" (trading center) was also established. By 1470 trade flourished between the Kingdom of Joseon and Japan.
At the same time,
Dongnae’s role in national defence and diplomacy was becoming increasingly important for the expanding kingdom.
During the late Joseon Dynasty, the “Choryangwaegwan”, which acted as a modern-day embassy, served as the site for establishing expanded trade links between the Eurasian Continent and the Far East.
In the 19th century,
Busan's struggle against the imperialist Japanese Empire was stronger than that of any other region.
Upon the outbreak of the Korean War, Busan saw a huge influx of refugees and became the last bastion of national power as the provisional capital.
Busan was upgraded to a “Jikhalsi” (city under direct control of the government) in 1963 and a metropolitan city in
January, 1995.
From the 1950s to the 1980s,
Busan emerged as a leading base for the economic rehabilitation and promotion of democracy in Korea.
Increased foreign competition in the 1990s alongside the Asian financial crisis forced Busan citizens to display their perseverance and ingenuity in the face of economic adversity.
After passing through a long trying, and at times dark, period, Busan is well on its way to emerging stronger and better than ever before.
For further information about Busan, please visit the Busan Museum, Dongsam-dong Shell Mounds, Bokcheon Museum, Chungnyeolsa Shrine, Baeksan Memorial Hall and the many other historical venues in Busan.
To fully enjoy your time while here make the most of what Busan's cultural heritage has to offer.