Busan has signed a new friendship cooperation agreement with Anchorage, marking the city’s first formal partnership with a municipality in the North American Arctic region and opening the door to broader diplomatic and economic engagement in the northern United States.
The agreement was signed on January 5 at 10:30 a.m. local time at Anchorage City Hall, with Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon and Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance pledging cooperation across port logistics, tourism, culture, energy resources, and people to people exchanges.
Busan officials say the partnership strengthens links between Busan Port and the Don Young Port of Alaska, a key logistics hub connecting North America and Asia, while also laying groundwork for future Arctic shipping routes.
Later that afternoon at 3 p.m., the Busan delegation met with Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy to discuss areas of mutual interest including energy, natural resources, and Arctic maritime strategy.
The two sides also explored hosting a joint Arctic Port Forum as a platform for policy dialogue and business cooperation.
City officials say the agreement is expected to expand Busan’s influence in the northern U.S. market while supporting its broader ambition to position itself as a global hub city.
Mayor Park noted that the partnership aims to move beyond symbolic exchanges and develop practical economic cooperation that can create new business opportunities and jobs.
