Conference to examine Port of Busan’s 150-year history and development ... on the 6th and 7th

[Financial News] An event will take a multidimensional look at changes in Busan since the Port of Busan opened—not simply as a chronological progression, but through international relations, economic activity, the formation of urban spaces, and local communities’ responses.
Busan City said on the 3rd that it will hold a two-day conference on the 6th and 7th to mark the 150th anniversary of the port’s opening.
The event will feature four sessions over two days. Each session will include presentations and panel discussions on political, diplomatic, economic, social and cultural changes in Busan during the port-opening period, as well as the activities of key figures.
On the first day, participants will look at the city’s development at the 50-, 100- and 150-year marks after the port opened and its growth into a global maritime city. They will also analyze the Port of Busan’s cargo distribution network, the activities of Korean merchants, and the role Namsun Warehouse played in the distribution economy of the time.
On the second day, the conference will examine the internationalization of Busan during the port-opening period, the formation of modern institutions, and perceptions of the times that emerged in the process through the activities of foreign nationals. It will also look at the social networks of key figures from the transition to modernity, including Park Ki-jong and Min Geon-ho, and local communities’ responses, such as Korea-Japan Buddhist exchanges.
Any citizen interested in Busan’s history and culture can attend the conference.
Cho Yu-jang, the city’s director of cultural affairs, said, “I hope this conference will provide an opportunity to take another look at Busan’s historical identity and development, and to share widely with citizens the historical significance of modern and contemporary history.”
[email protected] Kwon Byeong-seok Reporter