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Busan’s Haeundae is kicking off the season that bridges spring and summer. A festival that paints the city’s history in sand will greet visitors, and with the beach reopening soon, the shoreline will quickly shift into full-on resort mode. Lately, Haeundae District has been earning outside recognition for regulatory innovation and tax administration—proof that its flashy tourist offerings are matched by rock-solid administration.
From May 15 to 18, the 2026 Haeundae Sand Festival returns to Haeundae Beach. Themed “A Sand Time-Travel Through Busan,” this year’s festival features 17 sand sculptures that condense Busan’s past and present—from the Joseon Tongsinsa envoys to the wartime provisional capital and the Busan International Film Festival. A 7-meter (about 23 ft) sand observation deck and sweeping panoramic sculptures will sit against the Haeundae sea, promising an unforgettable visual impact.
After dark, media façades and laser shows will turn the beach into a vivid exhibition space. The sculptures will remain on display through June 14, so even after the festival ends, beachgoers will still have something impressive to admire.
The festival’s buzz flows straight into summer. Haeundae and Songjeong beaches will open together on June 26. Reflecting longer summers due to climate change, Haeundae will operate through Sept. 15, while Songjeong will stay open until Aug. 31. To keep swimmers safe, the district has installed jellyfish nets, stationed private lifeguards around the clock, and will increase on-site patrols.
Behind Haeundae’s tourism momentum is a solid administrative backbone. Haeundae District scored highly in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s 2025 Local Regulatory Innovation Performance Evaluation and received a presidential citation on the 22nd. Officials were praised for spotting real-world regulatory issues and for taking proactive administrative steps.
The district has also made striking progress in tax administration. Haeundae was named an outstanding agency in Busan City’s 2026 Comprehensive Evaluation of Local Tax Administration Performance, marking a third consecutive year of recognition since 2024. Expanding resident-focused tax services—like foreign-language tax guides and an heir-assurance service—and finding overlooked tax sources helped produce these results.
A Haeundae District official said, “This achievement is the meaningful result of the quiet dedication of our staff and residents who have worked to ease regulations and improve tax services. We will keep raising the area’s competitiveness by delivering practical administrative services that satisfy both residents and visitors.”
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