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Lee vows to relocate Oceans Ministry, urges creation of southeastern megacity at Busan town hall

Published: 25 Jul. 2025, 19:18 Updated: 27 Jul. 2025, 13:46

SARAH KIM
[email protected]

President Lee Jae Myung, center, speaks at a town hall meeting at Pukyong National University in Busan on July 25. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

BUSAN — President Lee Jae Myung vowed to swiftly relocate the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan and encouraged the southeastern port city to prepare to become a logistics hub when new Arctic shipping routes open in a town-hall meeting on Friday.

“We will relocate the Oceans Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, along with related agencies, companies and public institutions as swiftly as possible,” Lee said as he met with some 200 Busan residents at Pukyung National University in his first visit to Busan since his election last month.

However, he noted he is not sure the ministry relocation, an election pledge, will be possible “before the end of the year.”

Lee stressed the importance of balanced development as a "national survival strategy” and pushed for the creation of a megacity in the southeastern region.

He especially called for devising a development strategy for Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang, to capitalize on their characteristics as port cities and logistics hubs.

Lee further urged Busan to become a logistics hub in Northeast Asia, in preparation for new Arctic shipping routes that are expected to emerge amid melting glaciers due to climate change. He has been a proponent of making Busan into a strategic gateway for emerging Arctic maritime trade.

“The possibility of utilizing an Arctic Route is greatly increasing due to climate change, and Busan in particular has a very high likelihood of benefiting,” Lee said. “Some may say this is something that will happen in 10 or 20 years, so why are we talking about it now. But if we do not prepare in advance for change, we will miss the opportunity.”

He called on Busan to “discuss ways to develop the city into a port logistics hub and a Northeast Asian hub.”

The latest town hall meeting was laced with Lee’s signature banter with locals from all walks of life, including university students, entrepreneurs and musicians.

Lee previously visited Gwangju and Daejeon but delayed the Busan trip, originally scheduled for last week, after torrential rains and landslides led to fatalities and damage.

BY SARAH KIM [[email protected]]