Busan Metropolitan City recruited 14 volunteers from 10 countries to serve as mobile tourist guides for international visitors at Busan Station and launched the “Visit Busan Mate” pilot program. The city held a launch ceremony on Tuesday at the Busan Global City Foundation (부산글로벌도시재단). The program aims to help visitors to Busan more easily access local attractions, transportation, and facilities.

Background and context

In crowded places such as Busan Station, finding a route and understanding signs in other languages can be challenging for international visitors arriving in South Korea. The program is an attempt to bridge these language and cultural gaps by providing tourist guidance.

Busan is using international students and foreign residents as guides. The city’s overall population has gradually declined over the past 10 years, but the number of registered foreign residents has nearly doubled, surpassing 80,000. The number of international students has also exceeded 24,000; the source describes their growth as one factor behind the increase in registered foreign residents.

What this news means

The pilot program is notable for treating foreign residents and international students not just as users of Busan’s tourism services, but as local resources who can help guide visitors. Tourists may find it easier to navigate routes and locate facilities at the station, while Busan will be testing a way to connect tourists with people from diverse backgrounds who live in the city. However, whether the program actually makes things more convenient can only be judged once the results of the pilot are known.

However, it is not known which languages the volunteers will speak or when they will be on duty, so it cannot be assumed that every visitor will be able to get help when needed.

What is confirmed and what remains unknown

Confirmed facts

  • Busan Metropolitan City recruited 14 volunteers from 10 countries to provide mobile tourist guidance at Busan Station.
  • The program is called “Visit Busan Mate” and is a pilot program.
  • The launch ceremony was held on Tuesday at the Busan Global City Foundation.
  • The number of registered foreign residents in Busan has nearly doubled, surpassing 80,000, and the number of international students has exceeded 24,000.

What remains unknown

  • Which languages will the volunteers speak, and when will they be on duty?
  • How long will the pilot program run, and how will its results be assessed?
  • Where, specifically, can tourists find the guides, and how can they use the service?

What readers should check

  • Before visiting Busan Station, check whether the volunteers’ hours and on-site guidance locations have been announced.
  • It may also help to check whether guidance is available in the language you need and what information is provided about transportation, attractions, and facilities.
  • If the pilot program’s duration and evaluation results are made public, they can help readers assess the actual scope of the service and whether it will continue.