I’ve taken a new assignment as a First Assistant Engineer onboard a supply ship working in the Far East. Coincidently, my brother just finished several weeks of vessel inspections in Korea, and we met for dinner in Busan.
This Korean city has long been connected to maritime trade. Military cargo for peacekeeping efforts began in the 1950s, but now, the commercial seaport and nearby shipyards stand out for their volume of work.
Busan Train Station, and so-called Texas Street, served as the cultural nexus and service providers for international ferry travelers and global mariners. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, passenger traffic has declined. Most mariners are still confined to their ships, even as general international tourism has recently reopened in Korea. But, this has not proved fatal to the majority of Texas Street businesses- the ethnic restaurants, live music venues, and currency exchange parlors. In this older part of Busan, there is little pressure for landlords search for new tenants. Texas Street remains well positioned for the next generation of mariners on shore business and liberty.
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