Montreal (Canada), 21 July 2025 — World Design Organization (WDO)® announced today that the city of Busan (South Korea) has been named World Design Capital® (WDC) 2028, in recognition of its long-standing commitment to using design as a catalyst for sustainable urban development, cultural enrichment and inclusive innovation.
As South Korea’s second-largest city and a thriving centre for design, trade and technology, Busan’s bid for World Design Capital was led by Design Council Busan under the theme Inclusive City, Engaged Design. Looking ahead to 2028, the city aims to build on its traditions of civic resilience and cooperation to highlight the role of design in shaping more interconnected futures, both locally and internationally.
“Being designated as World Design Capital 2028 is a deeply meaningful milestone for Busan, and we proudly share this honour with our citizens. As a global hub where people of diverse backgrounds coexist and collaborate, Busan has grown through inclusivity and engagement,” noted PhilHyun Kang, President of Design Council Busan. “Guided by the theme Inclusive City, Engaged Design, we will continue to build citizen-led design experiences that address urban challenges. Through this global platform, we will share our design practices with cities and designers worldwide, demonstrating that design is a powerful tool to improve both urban sustainability and the quality of life.”
The city was awarded the designation by the WDC 2028 Selection Committee, comprising five international experts in the fields of design, public policy, sustainable development and urban planning. As noted by the Selection Committee, “Busan’s bid presents a compelling vision of a city using design to redefine its identity and purpose on a global stage. This strategic, inclusive and people-first approach to design is what has been integral to the World Design Capital programme from the start, and we look forward to seeing the designation’s impact come 2028.”
Hangzhou (China) was also shortlisted for the title of World Design Capital 2028. Their bid, put forth by the Hangzhou Convention & Exhibition Industry Development Service Center (HCC), highlighted the city’s rich design legacy across both creative and industrial sectors.
WDC is a biennial designation that recognizes cities for their effective use of design to drive economic, social, cultural and environmental development. 2028 will mark the eleventh cycle for the programme and the second South Korean city to hold the World Design Capital title, following Seoul in 2010.
For more information, please contact:
Eric Lauwers, WDO Programmes Manager
eric@wdo.org
Suhyun Um, Senior Manager, Design Council Busan
press@dcb.or.kr
About World Design Organization
World Design Organization (WDO)® is an international non-governmental organization and the international voice for industrial design. Serving over 215 member organizations across the globe, WDO promotes and shares knowledge of industrial design-driven innovation that enhances the economic, social, cultural and environmental quality of life. wdo.org
About World Design Capital
Designated every two years by the World Design Organization (WDO)®, World Design Capital® (WDC) recognizes cities for their effective use of design to drive economic, social, cultural, and environmental development. Through a year-long programme of events, the designated city showcases best practices in sustainable design-led urban policy and innovation that have reinvented their city and improved quality of life. Previous WDCs include Torino (Italy) in 2008, followed by Seoul (South Korea) in 2010, Helsinki (Finland) in 2012, Cape Town (South Africa) in 2014, Taipei (Taiwan, Chinese Taipei) in 2016, Mexico City (Mexico) in 2018, Lille Metropole (France) in 2020, Valencia (Spain) in 2022. The cities of San Diego (USA) and Tijuana (Mexico) jointly held the designation in 2024, while the region of Frankfurt RheinMain (Germany) will assume the title in 2026 followed by Busan Metropolitan City (South Korea) in 2028. wdo.org/wdc
