A project map for the culture-leading industrial complex designation [Busan city government]
A project map for the culture-leading industrial complex designation [Busan city government]

Busan city government announced Friday that West Busan Smart Valley has been selected as the final recipient of the 2026 culture-leading industrial complex designation, a joint program run by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

West Busan Smart Valley — formerly the Sinpyeong-Jangnim industrial complex and Busan's first industrial zone — is set to shed its image as a uniform factory district and reinvent itself as a future-oriented mixed-use space where culture, arts and youth energy converge. The city plans to invest 88.96 billion won ($59.1 million) over four years to make that transformation happen.

The project will be carried out under seven themes: a youth design living lab and branding initiative, construction of a landmark facility, a "Beautiful Streets Plus" streetscape improvement program, a youth-friendly renewal of aging factories, a regular "Culture Day" event series, support for balanced regional content development, and a ministry-linked redevelopment project for aging industrial complexes. The central goal is to reshape the industrial zone into a youth-friendly environment and integrate culture so that work and daily life can coexist in the same space.

The youth design living lab and branding project will establish a new identity for the complex, while a mixed-use cultural landmark will be built to encompass the complex's industrial history, the manufacturing sector's future and worker welfare. The landmark will house an AI healthcare center, a digital wellness forest, an XR- and AR-based sports zone, and spaces for education and hobbies — all designed to be accessible to workers of diverse ages and nationalities.

The Beautiful Streets Plus initiative will overhaul the aging industrial landscape and upgrade deteriorating facilities inside factories to create a more youth-friendly working environment. In the Bunechia area, a regular "Culture Day" event series will feature K-pop performances, drone shows, traditional fire-flower displays and food festivals. A "digital playground" for young people will offer AI media and creative education, an e-sports community and interactive gaming, while runner stations and hobby spaces will be expanded to support leisure activities.

Mayor Jeon Jae-soo said the city would "transform West Busan Smart Valley into an innovative space where youth, businesses and culture coexist" on the back of the culture-leading industrial complex designation.


kaf2002@heraldcorp.com