Busan Launches Eurasian City Diplomacy Corps to Enhance Global Brand

Busan City and the Busan Global City Foundation are set to launch the ‘2024 Eurasian City Diplomacy Corps’ at Busan Station, marking the beginning of a 13-day civilian diplomatic journey to promote exchanges between cities and enhance Busan’s global brand.

The inauguration ceremony will be attended by approximately 100 citizens, including city council members, heads of related organizations, and participating members from various fields. The event will feature congratulatory remarks, delivery of tickets, oath-taking, and a presentation of the city diplomacy corps flag, followed by a congratulatory performance.

The ‘Eurasian City Diplomacy Corps’ consists of 125 people from 15 organizations, including cultural and artistic corps members, economic corps members, and key figures and officials from the film, tourism, and education fields. The group will be led by Busan City Council Administration and Culture Committee member Jeong Chae-sook, and will include 19 college students participating in Busan youth diplomacy activities to promote ‘Busan as a great place for tourism, culture, and studying.’

The group will visit four cities in three countries: Almaty, Kazakhstan; Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Samarkand; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for 13 days starting on the 20th. Through 41 events, they plan to work to enhance the Busan brand by city and field and to revitalize exchanges between cities.

The ‘Eurasian City Diplomacy Corps’ marks a new approach to diplomacy, focusing on citizens and specialized agencies rather than government-led initiatives. By utilizing the network and know-how accumulated so far, the group aims to establish Busan as a ‘global hub city’ and create opportunities for people from around the world to gather in Busan.

Lee Jun-seung, Vice Mayor of Busan City, emphasized the significance of the Eurasian city diplomacy group’s visit, stating that it will be a crucial opportunity for Busan to leap forward as a ‘global hub city.’