Busan to host world port cities summit next year following Dunkirk

Busan will become the meeting point for port cities around the world next year, taking over from the French city of Dunkirk as host of a major international conference focused on the future of urban waterfronts and maritime industries. Busan Metropolitan City announced Monday that it had officially secured the hosting role for the 22nd World Conference Cities & Ports during the closing ceremony of the 21st conference in Dunkirk on Friday (local time). The 2027 gathering will take place Nov. 2-5 at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO), bringing together about 1,000 participants from 50 countries, including local government officials, port authorities, industry representatives and experts. At the closing ceremony, Busan Vice Mayor for Economic Affairs Oh Seok-geun introduced the city's development and the growth of Busan Port, which marks its 150th anniversary this year and ranks as the world's second-largest transshipment port. He also outlined major projects, including the redevelopment of North Port and efforts to establish infrastructure for supplying environmentally frie