Commissioner Park Seong-ho of the Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone Authority is actively laying the groundwork for the next 20 years of innovation and growth, with the ambition of elevating BJFEZ into a global investment hub. He is driving forward a robust dual-track strategy centered on regulatory reform and aggressive investment attraction. In the following interview, he shares his insights and vision for the future.

BJFEZ is gaining recognition as a strategic hub for global investors. What are its key competitive strengths?

The Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone (BJFEZ) is emerging as a new growth engine for the Korean economy and a premier logistics hub of Northeast Asia. It is strategically located at the center of a logistics "Tri-Port," connecting a gateway airport, a major intersection of trans-Pacific maritime cargo, and the starting point of southern inland freight routes.

BJFEZ is home to the Port of Busan, the world’s second-largest transshipment port and the seventh-largest container port by volume.

Moreover, its proximity to the Southeast Manufacturing Belt—linking Ulsan, Busan, and Changwon—provides optimal conditions for collaboration with key industries such as machinery, shipbuilding, aerospace, automotive, and marine equipment manufacturing.

Could you share this year’s foreigninvestment targets and your achievements so far?

Considering uncertainties such as strengthened protectionist policies in the U.S. and concerns over Korea’s low-growth trend, BJFEZ has set this year’s targets at USD 180 million in FDI and KRW 600 billion in domestic investment.

Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our team, we have seen promising results. In January, we signed an MOU worth KRW 14 billion (approximately USD 10 million) with Kokusai Express, a leading Japanese logistics company.

In April, we secured another agreement with Allcargo ULS Terminal, a subsidiary of India’s largest logistics group, Allcargo, for an investment of approximately KRW 10 billion.

As of the end of April, foreign direct investment (FDI) reached USD 352 million, setting a new record for a four-month period. This represents an increase of approximately 66% compared to the same period in 2024 (USD 211.69 million). This result is particularly notable as it was achieved under challenging conditions, including the global economic slowdown and ongoing supply chain uncertainty.

BJFEZ hosts a large number of tenant companies. What initiatives are you pursuing for them?

More than 2,200 companies are now operating within BJFEZ, and this number continues to grow.

We are committed not only to providing infrastructure but also to building an environment where companies can operate and expand with confidence.

A key initiative is the "Enterprise Field Forum," jointly hosted with the BJFEZ Tenant Association on a quarterly basis. This forum aims to reflect companies' on-site needs into policies and foster inter-company collaboration.

In addition, we are launching programs such as the "Company Communication Team" and the "Corporate Support Advisory Group" to deliver practical support directly to our tenants.

What is BJFEZ’s mid- to long-term vision?

BJFEZ boasts world-class infrastructure and limitless potential to become a new economic center of Northeast Asia.

We are fully committed to evolving BJFEZ into the most sought-after free economic zone for global companies.

To achieve this, we will strongly promote four strategic pillars:
- Activation of integrated logistics centered on the MEGA Tri-Port,
- Development of future-oriented advanced industries,
- Establishment of a global-level business environment, and
- Creation of premium tourism and leisure complexes.

Ultimately, we aim to transform BJFEZ from merely a manufacturing site into a "platform" where global businesses design their futures and grow together.