BUSAN — Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo has begun a review process to turn the core pledges of his term into concrete projects. The screening will examine not only the merits of each of the 123 pledges but also funding sources, implementation structures and whether they can be delivered within his term, while realigning how the pledges connect to one another and which come first. It marks the first step in converting the administration's blueprint into measurable results.
The city said on the 17th that it launched the Mayoral Pledge Advisory and Evaluation Panel at city hall that afternoon and began drawing up implementation plans. The panel comprises 30 members, including professors, civic group representatives and experts in various fields. Cha Jae-kwon, a professor at Pukyong National University, chairs the body, which will operate until June 2030.
The pledges under review are the 123 items compiled by the transition committee, known as the Busan on the Move Again Committee. The panel will go beyond checking whether individual projects should proceed, focusing instead on whether the policy direction of each pledge aligns with the city's vision of becoming a maritime capital at the center of a great future transformation.
The review criteria are specific. The panel will assess how tangible each pledge feels to residents, the necessity and validity of the project, funding and implementation structures, feasibility within the mayor's term, and detailed timelines and performance indicators. It will also review overlaps and possible linkages among pledges and adjust priorities. For projects requiring multiple departments, the panel plans to spell out collaboration frameworks to improve execution.
The city administration is built around four goals: a maritime capital that connects the world, an innovative economic city that opens the future, a balanced-growth city that is livable everywhere, and a city of happy residents in good health. The key question is how consistently the 123 pledges reflect the priorities Jeon has stressed since taking office, including reviving the everyday economy, clustering maritime administrative, judicial, financial and corporate functions, driving an AI transformation and creating jobs for young adults.
The city will supplement the implementation plans after the panel's review and finalize them with the approval of a citizen jury. Even after they are confirmed, the panel will monitor progress through regular meetings and ad hoc consultations and advise on revisions as legal and fiscal conditions change.
The city also plans to disclose the progress and results of each pledge to residents. "A promise to the public must be kept with competence and results, not words," Jeon said. "We will bring together the capabilities of the city council, the central government, the National Assembly, businesses and civil society so that residents can feel Busan changing."
