BUSAN — The city of Busan is stepping up efforts to build a culture of organ donation, highlighting that a single brain-dead donor can save up to nine lives.
The city said it will attend the 2026 Organ Donation Day ceremony, hosted by the Korea Organ Donation Association at the international conference hall of Busan City Hall on the 9th, to reflect on the meaning of sharing life and to support the spread of a donation culture in the community.
Organ Donation Day falls on Sept. 9, a date chosen to reflect that one brain-dead donor can save as many as nine lives. About 100 people will attend, including Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo, City Council Speaker Kang Moo-gil, Superintendent of Education Kim Seok-joon, Korea Organ Donation Association President Kang Chi-young, donors and honorees. The program includes commendations for those who contributed to spreading the donation culture, a commemorative address, congratulatory remarks and words of encouragement for bereaved families.
Aiming to become a "city that practices sharing life," Busan is strengthening recognition for donors and building a public-private cooperation framework, while also conducting community-based outreach through public health centers in its 16 districts and counties.
The city designates the second week of September each year as "Sharing Life Week," providing commemorative items for bereaved families and organizing healing camps and organ donation symposiums. The aim is to comfort donors' families in partnership with private specialist organizations while raising public awareness of organ donation.
In November, the city will host an international symposium with the United States and Japan. Viewing organ donation and the sharing of life as a universal human value that transcends borders, the city plans to strengthen cooperation and solidarity between countries.
Campaigns are also underway to let residents take part in sharing life in their daily lives. The Korea Organ Donation Agency is running a monthlong challenge in September using the mobile walking app Walk On, titled "Catch the Seeds of Hope With Nanumi." Participants who walk, catch the Seeds of Hope character and post comments about sharing life can enter a prize drawing upon reaching a step-count goal.
"I pay deep respect to the donors who gave part of themselves to bring a miracle to neighbors standing at the edge of despair," Jeon said. "We will do our utmost to ensure that donors and their families are respected and honored in society, and that a culture of sharing life in everyday life takes root across Busan."
