Gwangyang Mayor Park Sung-hyun promotes international car ferry service at Asia-Pacific Cities Summit in Fukuoka
Gwangyang Mayor Park Sung-hyun is throwing his full weight behind efforts to revive an international car ferry service while on an official visit to Fukuoka, the major city on Kyushu — the southernmost of Japan's four main islands.
Park graduated from Suncheon High School and earned a doctorate from Kyushu University after completing his undergraduate studies at Korea Maritime and Ocean University in Busan. He previously served as a professor at Mokpo National Maritime University and as president of the Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority, giving him deep expertise in maritime affairs.
According to Gwangyang city, Park is attending the 15th Asia-Pacific Cities Summit, a four-day event running Monday through Saturday, where he is promoting Gwangyang's urban competitiveness and exploring expanded cooperation with major cities across the Asia-Pacific region.
The Asia-Pacific Cities Summit was launched in 1994 at the initiative of Fukuoka and convenes every two years, bringing together mayors and senior representatives from member cities across the region. This year's edition drew delegations from 30 cities in 12 countries, along with representatives from international organizations, totaling about 500 participants.
South Korean cities represented include Gwangyang, Pohang and Busan. Other participating cities include Fukuoka, Kitakyushu and Kumamoto from Japan, as well as Singapore, Manila, Semarang in Indonesia and Ipoh in Malaysia, with delegates discussing key urban issues.
Park is presenting Gwangyang's vision for maritime exchange and urban development under the theme "New sea routes opened through public-private partnership: the future of sustainable cities."
A central focus of his visit is restoring the South Korea-Japan car ferry route between Gwangyang Port and Shimonoseki Port, which has been suspended for more than a decade due to operating losses. Park is visiting Hakata Port and the Korea Tourism Organization's Fukuoka branch to explore ways to bring back the sea link.
Gwangyang city is considering Hakata and Shimonoseki — both relatively close to Gwangyang Port — as leading candidates for the revived route. The push has faced headwinds, however, with only one shipping company applying when the city solicited ferry operators.
"I will ensure that exchanges with Asia-Pacific cities translate into cooperation that brings real, tangible benefits to Gwangyang," Park said.
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