Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.
Record crowd marks Norway Day in Busan
Norwegian Ambassador to Korea Anne Kari Hansen Ovind welcomes guests while wearing a traditional bunad in Busan, Oct. 24. Courtesy of Embassy of Norway in Seoul
By Kim Hyun-bin
Norway Day 2025 set a new attendance record in Busan on Oct. 24, drawing 279 guests from Norwegian firms and Korean partner companies as the Norwegian Embassy highlighted fast-growing cooperation in the maritime industries, energy transition and seafood trade.
Hosted annually by the Norwegian ambassador and held in Busan since 2002, the business networking event has become one of the embassy’s biggest fixtures, reflecting the city’s role as a hub for Norwegian companies in Korea.
Organizers said collaboration between the two countries has broadened from traditional shipping, shipbuilding and oil and gas into offshore wind, green shipping and decarbonization technologies. Korea is Norway’s second-largest trading partner in Asia and a key market for Norwegian seafood, which featured prominently on the dinner menu for the event.
In his remarks to guests, Christian Cramer, CEO of the Norwegian Seafood Council, underscored the importance of Korea to Norway’s seafood exports. Guests were served salmon, mackerel and red king crab, along with other Norwegian specialties.
The 2025 edition adopted the theme of “Northern Light,” a nod both to the aurora borealis that draws many Korean travelers to northern Norway each winter and to Northern Lights, Norway’s flagship carbon capture and storage project that began operations this year.
Embassy officials said Norway Day’s steady growth over the last two decades mirrors the maturing of Korea-Norway ties — from maritime and offshore engineering to emerging clean-energy value chains — and positions the annual Busan gathering as a barometer of the partnership’s next phase.