Busan Archives project clears key review, moves toward 2031 opening

The exterior of Busan Archives building.

(Photo by City of Busan/courtesy of Haps Magazine Korea)

Busan’s plan to build a new municipal archives facility has passed a central investment review by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, allowing the project to move into its next phase.

The proposed Busan Archives will be developed as a public records hub combining storage, exhibition, and community-use spaces.

Planned for a site in Geumgok-dong, Buk-gu, the facility will have a total floor area of 8,586 square meters and is targeting completion in 2031, with an estimated budget of 46.5 billion won.

The archive is designed to address long-standing limitations in storing and managing the city’s administrative records.

It will include preservation storage, reading rooms, exhibition areas, and education spaces, with capacity for approximately 940,000 records.

Beyond storage, the city intends for the facility to function as an open archive, incorporating citizen participation and linking archival content with cultural and tourism-related programs.

Fleet Chinhae