Reading Time: 3 minutesBy 2030, AI is projected to contribute USD 19.9 trillion to the global economy. Busan, Korea’s second-largest city, is embracing AI through a master plan aimed at enhancing public services and fostering economic growth.
Heong-joon Park - (Mayor)
Heong-joon Park has served as Mayor of Busan since April 2021 and was re-elected in June 2022. In 2024, he also served as President of the Governors Association of the Republic of Korea. He began his career as a journalist at JoongAng Ilbo after earning an M.A. in Sociology from Korea University.
He has been active in civil society and led local branches of both the Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice and the Devolution Movement. Park spent nearly two decades as a professor of global studies at Dong-A University and has held various public roles, including Senior Secretary to the President for Political Affairs and Special Advisor to the President for Social Affairs.