'2026 Local Level Up Conference' to be held Wednesday

Part of the 'Youth Local Creator Level Up Project' funded by the local extinction response fund

Conference to explore ways to link local creator activity to regional economic revitalization

Poster for the '2026 Local Level Up Conference' [Busan Economic Promotion Agency]

The Busan city government and the Busan Economic Promotion Agency announced Thursday that they will hold the "2026 Local Level Up Conference" at Yeongdo Mumyeong Ilgi in Busan at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

The conference is part of the "Youth Local Creator Level Up Project," funded by the local extinction response fund. It will bring together successful cases of turning local resources into products, services and content, and will discuss ways to connect local creator activity to broader regional economic revitalization.

Held under the theme "The Next Chapter, Made by Locals," the event will feature presentations by outstanding companies, firsthand accounts from local planners, expert lectures and panel discussions, and networking among participating firms.

Companies taking part in local support projects in Busan and South Gyeongsang Province will present case studies on how they have leveraged regional resources.

From Busan, Jung Min-jun, chief executive of Onggolchan Saramdeul — a participant in the Youth Local Creator Level Up Project — will present a wellness program centered on the original downtown area of Jung-gu. From South Gyeongsang Province, Kang Ho-san, chief executive of Dari Maker — a participant in the South Gyeongsang Province Resource-Linked Local Startup Activation Support Project run by South Gyeongsang Province and the Gyeongnam Creative Economy Innovation Center — will showcase a stay-based local business model through care content and a family workcation service called Dureonduron.

Mok Ji-su, chief executive of Ssite Branding, and Choi Yun-hyeong, chief executive of Siseon Communication, will share how they transformed everyday local assets into new business opportunities — through a bathhouse-inspired space and brand concept and a content and events series connecting neighborhood bakeries, respectively. A guest lecture by Lee Chang-gil, chief executive of Magye Incheon, who conceived the Incheon "Gaehangno Project," is also on the program.

A roundtable will follow, bringing together local businesses, experts and universities to discuss the conditions for growth in the local industry, the roles of each stakeholder, sustainable growth strategies for the Busan and South Gyeongsang Province local industry, and ways to build inter-regional cooperation models.

"The work of local creators who develop regional resources into new content and businesses can give people a reason to visit and stay in a region," a Busan Economic Promotion Agency official said. "We will provide support so that the growth of young local businesses can translate into vitality for the regional economy."

kaf2002@heraldcorp.com