Busan is accelerating the expansion of community-based welfare infrastructure grounded in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles. The city aims to move beyond conventional elderly welfare and build a "regional circular welfare model" that combines jobs, environmental initiatives, and generational integration, positioning the centers as core hubs of its 15-minute city policy.
The city said Thursday it will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Housing Finance Corporation at City Hall to establish "Our Neighborhood Social Value Management (ESG) Centers," receiving 300 million won ($220,000) in donations. The initiative represents a public-private ESG model that leverages public institution funding to expand community-based welfare infrastructure.
Of the total funding, 180 million won will be used to build additional ESG centers. After opening the 6th through 8th centers in Gangseo, Busanjin, and Buk districts this year, the city plans to add the 9th through 11th centers in Dong, Yeonje, and Nam districts. The city aims to identify five additional new sites and establish a total of 16 centers by year-end. The plan is to place the centers densely across neighborhoods, completing welfare hubs accessible within 15 minutes.
The project is distinguished by its integration of welfare, jobs, and environmental initiatives. Beyond simply providing care services, the model connects eco-friendly jobs for seniors, resource recycling activities, and environmental education. To date, the program has produced tangible results, creating 6,261 jobs for seniors, collecting 150 tons of waste plastic, and engaging more than 16,000 participants in environmental education. The case is seen as transforming welfare spending from a "cost" into a "regional circular economy."
The program is also expanding rapidly in scope. The model, which originated in Busan, has spread to other regions, demonstrating its potential for standardization. It has been recognized in external evaluations, winning the Green World Awards, an international prize in the environmental field, and being selected as an exemplary case in the government's job policy.
The agreement also includes support projects for vulnerable populations. It features a multi-layered structure that fills welfare blind spots, including the renovation of the unclaimed remains facility at Busan Yeongrak Park, living assistance for low-income grandparent-headed families, and intergenerational awareness projects. Notably, a youth-led media education program simultaneously promotes improved perceptions of seniors and intergenerational communication.
"The ESG centers are a core platform that creates diverse social values," Busan Mayor Park Heong-jun said. "We will develop them into central hubs of the 15-minute city through expansion and content enhancement."
Meanwhile, the Korea Housing Finance Corporation has donated a total of 1.54 billion won since 2022 to donation agreement projects aimed at improving elderly welfare, including the Our Neighborhood Social Value Management (ESG) Center initiative.
