Busan Metropolitan City is launching a field-based investment attraction program that directly visits companies. The strategy aims to proactively identify top-tier companies concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area and convert contacts into actual investments.
The city announced on the 4th that it will operate "Visiting Investment IR" program starting this year, directly visiting major exhibitions and trade shows nationwide to promote Busan's investment appeal. The key feature goes beyond simple promotion to include customized corporate consultations and follow-up management.
The city will target approximately six major exhibitions and trade shows held in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, and Busan. This program is part of the "Corporate Target Visiting Program," designed to proactively identify companies with high potential for Busan investment at industrial venues where promising companies from across the nation gather.
Major target exhibitions this year include InterBattery 2026 (Seoul), World IT Show (Seoul), Busan Mobility Show (Busan), World Smart City Expo 2026 (Busan), International Marine Energy & Plant Industry Exhibition (Busan), and Battery Asia Show (Gyeonggi). The events align with Busan's strategic industries including secondary batteries, information technology, mobility, smart city, and marine energy.
The city plans to operate investment promotion booths on-site and directly visit participating company booths to introduce Busan's investment infrastructure, living conditions, and various support policies. Through one-on-one consultations tailored to each company's needs, the city will work to solidify possibilities for relocation or new facility investments.
Data collected from these activities will be linked to the "Seoul Metropolitan Area Investment Attraction Briefing" scheduled for the second half of this year. The city plans to strategically select companies with high investment interest to invite to the briefing. Companies with strong investment potential will be included in "Investment Attraction Familiarization Tours" of Busan industrial complexes and key facilities, establishing a follow-up management system leading to confirmed investments.
The first field-based investment attraction activity at Drone Show Korea 2026 last month got off to a smooth start, resulting in investment consultations with 50 participating companies. The event, recognized as Asia's largest drone exhibition, attracted 318 companies from 23 countries, including firms in drones, aerospace, defense, carbon neutrality, spatial information, and artificial intelligence-based convergence technology.
"We will concentrate our administrative capabilities on converting opportunities discovered in the field into actual investments," said Kim Bong-cheol, Director General of Digital Economy at Busan Metropolitan City.