The Busan Metropolitan Government is accelerating its transition to the future mobility industry through strengthened cooperation with a global automaker. The city aims to achieve both manufacturing advancement and job creation through strategic collaboration linking electric vehicle production facility investment with new vehicle launches.
Busan announced on the 23rd that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Renault Korea at City Hall to strengthen cooperation for building a future mobility industrial ecosystem. Busan Mayor Park Hyung-jun and Renault Korea CEO Nicolas Paris attended the signing ceremony, where the two sides discussed plans for the electric vehicle transition and production system restructuring.
The partnership goes beyond simple investment attraction. It is a mutual-benefit model spanning both industry and public administration, combining an investment agreement that includes expansion of electric powertrain vehicle facilities with a program to adopt Renault's new "Filante" as a Busan city government fleet vehicle.
Renault Korea will establish a "flexible production system" capable of manufacturing internal combustion engine, hybrid, and electric vehicles at its Busan plant, in line with the facility expansion plan announced at the 2025 APEC CEO Summit Korea. Renault said the system is a key foundation for securing production competitiveness to respond to shifting global demand.
The new Filante is a core model under Renault Group's mid- to long-term strategy, the International Game Plan 2027. Since its unveiling in January, the vehicle has surpassed 7,000 pre-orders, demonstrating strong market expectations. The model is also expected to bolster Renault Korea's export competitiveness through future expansion into overseas markets.
The city plans to use the agreement as a springboard to accelerate the advancement of its future vehicle industrial ecosystem. Measures include phased expansion of related projects such as export-oriented technology support, joint research and development with parts manufacturers, extended reality (XR)-based digital twin systems, and the establishment of a shared giga-casting center. Through these efforts, Busan aims to strengthen the cooperative structure among automakers, parts suppliers, and research institutions while building a regional industrial cluster.
"Renault Korea is a core anchor company playing a pivotal role in Busan's manufacturing sector," Mayor Park said. "This investment agreement and new vehicle launch will serve as a turning point for Busan to emerge as a global future vehicle production hub."