Busan is good

Busan Launches ‘English Waves,’ a Play-based English Textbook for Young Learners

Busan Launches ‘English Waves,’ a Play-based English Textbook for Young Learners□ The exciting journey of English learning alongside Boogi and the children of Busan has officially begun.□ ‘English Waves,’ an English textbook for kindergarten and lower-level elementary students, was released on March 11, 2025, and is set to expand upon English education opportunities while easing the financial burden on parents.○ The textbook follows a Finnish-style, play-oriented curriculum, enabling children to acquire English naturally in real-life contexts through cultural experiences rather than direct instruction or rote memorization.□ A child-centered approach incorporating content and language integrated learning fosters sustained engagement.○ The program is tailored to different age groups and proficiency levels, with Level 1 for kindergarteners and Level 2 for first and second graders. Each level includes eight storybooks and eight workbooks, totaling 32 volumes.□ Busan’s public outrearch character, ‘Boogi,’ as well as iconic spots and cultural elements—Haeundae Beach, Yongdusan Park, and the Busan Fireworks Festival—bring English learning to life, making it more relatable and enjoyable for children.□ Starting March 11, textbooks and accompanying audio resources will be available online at www.busan.go.kr/englishbusan and www.busan.go.kr/bschild.□ English Waves will also be introduced in ‘Deullak Nallak Play with English’ centers from March 18 and distributed to early childhood institutions citywide, ensuring high-quality English education for children.

Busan Ranks First in the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism’s Wellness & Medical Tourism Convergence Cluster Assessment

Busan Ranks First in the Ministry of Culture, Sports Tourism’s Wellness Medical Tourism Convergence Cluster Assessment□ On March 13, Busan Metropolitan City confirmed that it had secured 500 million won in national funding after claiming first place in the medical tourism category of the Wellness Medical Tourism Convergence Cluster Assessment, conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports Tourism.○ The Ministry of Culture, Sports Tourism evaluated the 2024 performances and 2025 plans of six regions selected for the 2023-2025 Wellness Medical Tourism Convergence Cluster Project, which aims to build world-class destinations for healing and healthcare.○ The assessment was based on key indicators such as the development and operation of wellness and medical tourism content and the number of inbound foreign patients across two categories: medical tourism and wellness tourism.* Wellness tourism refers to travel focused on well-being, fitness, and happiness to promote health recovery, enhancement, and overall quality of life.□ Busan earned high scores for its quality medical services, efforts to establish wellness tourism infrastructure and create integrated wellness and medical tourism content, as well as success in drawing international patients—all of which contributed to creating a robust wellness and medical tourism convergence cluster.○ Notable achievements in 2024 include the designation of ten wellness tourism sites; the attraction of approximately 30,000 patients from overseas; professional training in wellness and medical tourism; the opening of the Busan Medical Tourism Business Center, a first-of-its-kind among municipalities; strong voluntary participation in the Cluster Cooperation Committee; and the development of wellness tourism programs tailored for foreign patients.○ In particular, ten wellness and medical tourism programs, including ‘Healing Day in Busan’ and ‘One-Day Medical Wellness Healing Tour,’ received positive feedback from

Get down at the 2025 Busan Step Up Dance Festival

 Get ready to step up and elevate your dancing spirit! The 2025 Busan Step Up Dance Festival, one of Busan’s iconic youth cultural events, will take place over three days from May 16 to 18. The vibrant festival will unfold at popular attractions across the city, including the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu District. The festival promises to captivate audiences with dynamic competitions, such as the K-Pop Cover Dance Championship, the Dance Performance World Championship, the World Street 1-on-1 Battle, and a contest to crown The Best Dancer of Busan. Interested dancers and groups can register for the competition by April 7 through the event’s official website and will need to go through online preliminary rounds.The judging panel is more diverse than ever, ensuring fairness in the competition. The Best Dancer of Busan contest will feature notable judges, including singer Seven, Wooyoung Jang from the idol group 2PM, and choreographer Youngjoon Choi, renowned for his work with the idol group Seventeen. Additionally, a new program kicked off this year will showcase special performances by Dongwoo from the idol group Infinite and JinJin from ASTRO. A variety of extra events will enhance the festival experience, energizing audiences with thrilling performances from celebrated choreographers and idols. To promote the festival and engage the public, “Step Up Random Play Dance” events will be held throughout the city every weekend afternoon until May 3. Everyone is welcome to join these dance parties, although the schedule may vary depending on the weather. For more details on competition registration, please check the official website, where updates will be posted. The festival is looking for enthusiastic performers vying for their share of the 38,000,000 won in prize money. ※ 2025 Busan Step Up Dance Festival, May 16 to 18◎ Busan Cinema Center: 120 Suyeonggangbyeon-daero, Haeundae-gu◎ Website: busanstepupfestival.com<Today's Vocabulary - 오늘의 단어> elevate: 높이다 vibrant: 활기찬 captivate: 사로잡는 preliminary: 예선전 fairness: 공정성 kick off: 시작하다 enthusiastic: 열정적인 vie: 겨루다Editor: Song SoomiCopy Editors: Ryu Hyoseung, Anton J. Mapoy 

Regional Specialized Visas offer immigrants a path to permanent residency

 Busan Metropolitan City will recruit foreign professionals for the 2025 Regional Specialized Visa Project from March 26 to April 25. The initiative, led by the Ministry of Justice, aims to address labor shortages, boost local economies and stabilize population levels by helping foreign nationals and their families settle and work in depopulated areas.In Busan, the designated areas include three districts experiencing population decline, Seo-gu, Dong-gu and Yeongdo-gu, and two at-risk areas, Jung-gu and Geumjeong-gu. Visa holders are required to work and reside in these government-designated areas, with specific conditions varying based on the visa type. Visa Categories and ChangesThis year’s recruitment covers three visa types:1) Regional Specialized Talent (F-2-R): Applicants must work and reside in a designated area, with some exceptions. For 2025, the Korean language proficiency requirement has increased from TOPIK Level 3 to Level 4. There are 150 F-2-R visas available in Busan.2) Regional Specialized Skilled Workers (E-7-4R): This new visa gives non-professional workers (E-9), maritime crew (E-10) and visiting workers (H-2) a path to permanent residency. There are 159 E-7-4R visas available in Busan.3) Regional Specialized Overseas Koreans (F-4-R): For 2025, there is no quota limit and applications are open until Sept. 30, 2026. Application ProcessF-2-R and E-7-4R visa applicants must submit the required documentation to their designated district office by 6 p.m. on April 25.F-4-R visa applicants must submit the required documents to either the Seo-gu, Dong-gu or Yeongdo-gu district office.For more information on visa types and eligibility requirements, visit the 2025 Regional Specialized Visa Project announcement page.※ 2025 Regional Specialized Visa Project, until April 25◎ Announcement: https://www.busan.go.kr/nbgosi/view?sno=71381&gosiGbn=A&curPage=1※ Inquiries regarding the F-2-R visa:◎ Seo-gu Office, Family Happiness Division: 051-240-4356◎ Dong-gu Office, General Affairs Division: 051-440-4111◎ Yeongdo-gu Office, Lifelong Education Division: 051-419-4525※ For inquiries regarding the E-7-4R visa:◎ Seo-gu Office, Family Happiness Division: 051-240-4356◎ Dong-gu Office, General Affairs Division: 051-440-4111◎ Yeongdo-gu Office, Lifelong Education Division: 051-419-4491◎ Jung-gu Office, General Affairs Division: 051-600-4114◎ Geumjeong-gu Office, Family Policy Division: 051-519-4365◎ Busan Global City Foundation: 1577-7716 (consultation and interpretation service available)◎ Busan Foreign Workers Support Center: 051-868-7606 (consultation and interpretation service available)◎ Busan Foreign Residents Center: 051-304-0900 (consultation and interpretation service available)※ For inquiries regarding the F-4-R visa:◎ Seo-gu Office, Family Happiness Division: 051-240-4356◎ Dong-gu Office, General Affairs Division: 051-440-4111◎ Yeongdo-gu Office, Lifelong Education Division: 051-419-4491◎ Busan Global City Foundation: 1577-7716 (consultation and interpretation service available)◎ Busan Foreign Residents Center: 051-304-0900 (consultation and interpretation service available)<Today's Vocabulary - 오늘의 단어>recruit: 모집하다 labor: 노동의 shortage: 부족 boost: 끌어올리다 depopulated area: 과소 지역 district: 구역 proficiency: 유창성 permanent: 영구적인 residency: 거주 quota: 할당, 한도 requirement: 자격사항Editor: Song SoomiCopy Editors: Ryu Hyoseung, Anton J. Mapoy