By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter
Business leaders, together with government officials, are putting the final touches to their pursuit to make Yeosu, a southern South Korean port city, the host of the 2012 World Expo.
With less than 100 days before the final decision, officials and leading businessmen are crisscrossing the globe to attract more votes from member countries of the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE).
Minister of Maritime Affairs & Fisheries Kang Moo-hyun just embarked on a tour to Europe from Aug. 26 to Sept. 1 to make successive visits to the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Iceland, all BIE members.
He is accompanied by prominent CEOs from the shipping industry, including Korea Line Corporation President Lee Jin-bang, Hyundai Merchant Marine President and CEO Noh Jeong-ik and Hanjin Shipping President and CEO Park Jung-won.
``Minister Kang and the leaders from private businesses will meet influential figures, including foreign and financial ministers of the four countries as well as Maersk Group Chairman Jess Soderberg, and ask for support for Yeosu,’’ said a ministry official.
Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo, who has so far spared no efforts in promoting Yeosu’s expo bid, also sent Hyundai Motor President Choi Han-young to Europe.
According to spokespersons from the Hyunda-Kia Group, Choi has already met with Germany’s vice economy minister and other leaders there to push Yeosu’s efforts to host the world event.
Chung himself made similar journeys to Europe and Latin America in the first half of the year: the 69-year-old tycoon visited Slovakia, Turkey and the Czech Republic in April and Brazil in May, though the trips were basically for his group’s businesses there.
``It is a great honor for me to take part in this march for Yeosu’s successful expo bid, which can be a crucial turning point in raising the international status of the country,’’ said Chung, who is now serving as the honorary chairman of the expo bidding committee.
Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group has also been operating an office in Paris, where the BIE is headquartered, for the sole purpose of giving direct and indirect support to Yeosu.
``We plan to invite delegates from the BIE member states to a test-drive event,’’ a group spokesman said. ``We’re going to step up our efforts with various programs on such occasions as the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September.’’
In the meantime, Dongwon Group Chairman Kim Jae-chul who has been serving as the bidding committee chairman has also making efforts continuously, inviting African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare here early this month.
GS Caltex Chairman & CEO Hur Dong-soo and Kumho Asiana Group Chairman Park Sam-koo are also active in luring more votes from the Middle East and Africa, respectively.
Yeosu is currently competing with Tangiers of Morocco and Wroclaw of Poland. The host city will be announced after a vote of the 101 BIE member countries in Paris, Nov. 27.