Hyundai Motor Group promotes Busan's Expo bid in Paris
Hyundai Motor Group's electric cars, which will be used as mobility vehicles for the Korean delegation during the 172nd general assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) on June 20 and 21, are parked in downtown Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background, Sunday. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group
By Baek Byung-yeul
Hyundai Motor Group is supporting Korea's bid to host World Expo 2030 as the automotive giant provides electric vehicles (EVs) with the Busan logo to the Korean delegation participating in the 172nd general assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Paris, according to the group, Sunday.
The Korean delegation will take part in the BIE's general assembly meeting, which will be held on June 20 and 21 in the French capital city to give their fourth competitive presentation promoting why the country's southern port city of Busan should be chosen as the host city of World Expo 2030 before BIE members.
President Yoon Suk Yeol will also attend the BIE's meeting to promote the country's strong willingness to secure the international event. In addition to the Korean delegation, three other countries including Italy, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine will give their presentations during the meeting while the host city of the 2030 event will be announced after a final presentation in November.
Hyundai Motor Group's electric cars including the Hyundai IONIQ 5, the IONIQ 6 and Kia's EV6 are seen in Paris, Sunday. The automotive group said vehicles will be used as transportation for the Korean delegation, which will make a presentation to bring the World Expo to Busan in 2030 during the Bureau International des Expositions' (BIE) 172nd general assembly on June 20 and 21 in the French capital city. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group
Hyundai Motor Group said it will provide the Korean delegation with a fleet of the group's electric cars decorated with the “BUSAN is READY!” logo. The vehicles are Hyundai Motor's IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 and Kia's EV6.
The electric vehicles will serve to promote Busan to the BIE members and tourists from around the world as the vehicles will drive around major tourist attractions in Paris, such as the Louvre Museum and the Eiffel Tower, Hyundai Motor Group said.
Hyundai Motor Group's electric cars, which will be used as mobility vehicles for the Korean delegation during the 172nd general assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) on June 20 and 21, are parked in downtown Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background, Sunday. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group
The group said it decided to provide only EVs in light of Busan's vision of providing a sustainable future through World Expo 2030.
“In light of Busan World Expo's vision to explore a sustainable future under the theme Transforming Our World, Navigating Toward a Better Future, we decided to support only EVs. In particular, our EVs have been winning car-of-the-year awards in major markets around the world since last year, so we decided to emphasize the carbon-neutral Expo that Busan aims to achieve,” the group spokesman said.
Hyundai Motor Group has provided its eco-friendly vehicles in connection with previous general assemblies of the BIE. During the 170th and 171st meetings held in Paris in June and November of 2022, the group provided the IONIQ 5, the Kona Electric and the Tucson to promote Busan's bid.
“We will actively promote Busan's competitiveness and vision in various ways until the end,” the spokesman added.