229.54-square-meter facility inside Busan International Finance Center

Center to serve as digital finance anchor from talent development to business growth

Convergence security talent program also to run alongside

A promotional image for the Busan Blockchain and AI Digital Finance Innovation Research Center [Provided by Busan city government]
A promotional image for the Busan Blockchain and AI Digital Finance Innovation Research Center [Provided by Busan city government]

Busan held an opening ceremony Tuesday morning for the Busan Blockchain and AI Digital Finance Innovation Research Center at the Busan International Finance Center (BIFC II), marking the start of full operations. About 100 people attended, including Mayor Jeon Jae-soo, Busan City Council Speaker Kang Mu-gil, Pusan National University President Choi Jae-won, Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Yang Jae-saeng, Nam-gu District Mayor Park Jae-beom, and representatives from BIFC tenant companies and related organizations.

The center is designed to serve as a digital finance technology anchor, integrating blockchain and AI technology into finance to build a virtuous cycle from talent development to business growth. It occupies the 23rd floor of BIFC II, covering 229.54 square meters, and is equipped with office space, a dedicated training room and a seminar room.

The center will carry out field-tailored professional education, company demand-based joint research and development, and technology consulting and proof-of-concept work. It will focus particularly on identifying technical challenges faced by companies in the Munhyeon financial complex and turning them into joint research projects, with researchers working alongside companies from problem definition through technical design and verification toward technology development and commercialization.

The center will also run alongside Pusan National University's Graduate School of Convergence Security master's and doctoral programs. It will operate the Convergence Security Core Talent Development Project — selected this year through a Ministry of Science and ICT competition — pursuing education and research that links blockchain and AI-based convergence security technology with regionally specialized industries such as maritime, port, shipbuilding and manufacturing.

The city plans to use the center's opening as an opportunity to develop the Munhyeon financial complex into a hub for digital finance built on blockchain and AI technology.

"This research center will serve as a key digital finance technology anchor connecting university capabilities with corporate needs," Mayor Jeon said. "We will intensively cultivate locally tailored specialists and support the innovative growth of businesses to propel Busan into a genuine hub city for digital finance."


kaf2002@heraldcorp.com