Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
Busan thrust into limelight
Huinnyeoul Culture Village in Busan's Yeongdo District / Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan Government
By Jung Da-hyun
Busan is gaining global recognition for its historical heritage and tourist attractions making the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and taking second place in a list of popular global travel destinations.
The Sites of the Busan Wartime Capital entry was added to UNESCO's Tentative List in the modern heritage category in May, and was shown on the official website on Oct. 17.
These wartime capital sites are a testament to their crucial role during the 1950-53 Korean War, when the city served as the nation's capital for 1,023 days following the evacuation of Seoul.
The property comprises nine distinct sites each showcasing diverse functions during the war. For instance, Bumin-dong in Busan's Seo District served as a temporary presidential residence, functioning as the seat of government maintenance. The Busan Modern and Contemporary History Museum played a unique role, serving as the U.S. Embassy and National Information Center.
Ami-dong Tombstone Culture Village, a historical landmark in Busan / Yonhap
One of the nine sites, the Ami-dong Tombstone Culture Village, was a refuge for evacuees during this tumultuous period.
Still, there are several procedural steps that the city must navigate before achieving official recognition from UNESCO.
Busan Metropolitan City plans to engage in these necessary preparations and seek consensus among its citizens following the publication of the Sites of the Busan Wartime Capital on the UNESCO World Heritage website.
In another achievement, the city clinched the second position in an award organized by Trip.com, one of the globally leading online travel agencies, according to Busan Metropolitan City, Tuesday. Vienna, the capital of Austria, secured the top spot.
The city attributes this recognition as one of the most popular tourist destinations to its targeted marketing strategies aimed at Chinese tourists.
The city's efforts included the mayor participating in Chinese broadcasts and promoting Busan in various travel magazines. After tour groups from China resumed in Aug. 10, the city witnessed a surge in tourist numbers and received positive feedback as a travel destination.
In particular, increased awareness of Busan played a pivotal role in the city's success. Busan's tourism products gained considerable attention through live commerce broadcasts conducted by Ctrip, China's largest online travel agency.
“Cross-national activities to host the World Expo 2030 last year and this year are greatly boosting the city brand,” Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon said.
The metropolitan government also sees the city's growing global reputation as a positive factor in its bid to host the World Expo in 2030, according to a city official.