Annual General Meeting of World Alliance of International Financial Centers to Be Held in Busan to Discuss Ways to Foster Maritime Finance

[Financial News] The Busan Metropolitan Government announced on the 14th that it will host the 2026 annual general meeting of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC), along with joint project meetings and a global financial symposium, from the 14th to the 17th in and around the Busan International Finance Center (BIFC).
Hosted by the WAIFC, organized by the Busan International Financial Promotion Agency, and supported by the Busan Metropolitan Government, the event will bring together the WAIFC leadership and secretariat, delegations from major financial centers around the world, and officials from domestic and international financial institutions.
The WAIFC is an international network established in 2018 to promote exchanges and cooperation among financial centers. Busan was selected as the host city for 2026 at the annual general meeting held in Tokyo, Japan, in 2024.
Through the event, the city plans to share policy experiences and financial industry trends from financial centers around the world while expanding Busan's maritime finance network.
The main events include a welcome reception for participants, the Young Academic Award ceremony, the WAIFC annual general meeting and joint project meetings, the signing of memorandums of understanding among international financial centers, a dialogue with financial authorities, and the BIFC Global Financial Symposium.
A welcome reception will be held on the 14th at D-Space on the 63rd floor of the Busan International Finance Center to introduce Busan as a financial center and provide an opportunity for officials from financial centers around the world to network.
On the 15th, participants will tour the Busan Port Authority, followed by the Young Academic Award ceremony, the WAIFC annual general meeting, and joint project meetings.
On the 16th, the signing of memorandums of understanding among international financial centers will expand the foundation for institutional cooperation. At the subsequent Dialogue with Financial Authorities, WAIFC delegates and officials from South Korea's financial authorities will exchange views on major financial policies and changes in the international financial environment.
The highlight of the event will be the BIFC Global Financial Symposium, which will be held the same day at Nurimaru APEC House.
The program will begin with a keynote speech by Kitack Lim, former secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization, followed by a WAIFC roundtable and special addresses. Mike Wardle, chief executive of the U.K. financial consultancy Z/Yen, will present the results of the 40th edition of the Global Financial Centres Index in Busan.
The ensuing expert discussion will focus on ways to foster maritime finance by linking Busan's port, shipbuilding, and shipping infrastructure to its financial competitiveness.
On the 17th, the WAIFC delegation will visit Hanwha Ocean's Geoje facility to tour a world-class shipbuilding and maritime industry site.
Mayor Chun Jae-soo said, "Busan can truly emerge as a global maritime capital when shipping, ports, logistics, and finance are connected as a single ecosystem." He added, "Using this annual general meeting as an opportunity, we will showcase Busan's financial and maritime industry capabilities to the world, expand our global financial network, and develop Busan into the world's leading city for maritime finance."
[email protected] Kwon Byung-seok Reporter