Foreign language websites for Busan's World Expo bid poorly managed

The English website of the Bid Committee for World Expo 2030 Busan, Korea, left, shows the number of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) members is 170, while the Korean website shows the number is 179. Screenshot from each website

Bid committee slow to publish updates of relevant info, news

By Park Jae-hyuk

The Bid Committee for World Expo 2030 Busan, Korea, was criticized for neglecting the management of its foreign language websites, as President Yoon Suk Yeol heads to Paris next week to attend the fourth round of presentations at a meeting of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) members.

Rep. An Byung-gil of the ruling People Power Party, who represents a constituency in the southern port city and serves as an executive secretary of a National Assembly special committee supporting Busan's bid, pointed out, Tuesday, that the committee had not updated its English, French and Spanish websites for the past two months. This was in sharp contrast to its Korean website, which was updated regularly with the latest articles and other promotional videos.

Additionally, the bid committee did not update the number of BIE members to 179 on its foreign language websites as of Tuesday morning.

The lawmaker raised concerns that the neglected websites may prevent countries and people from around the world from learning more about Korea's efforts to host one of the world's three largest international events.

“It is regrettable that the government's official website is insufficient in introducing Korea's enthusiasm for hosting the World Expo,” he said. “Given that it is important to conduct marketing campaigns targeting foreign countries to win the hearts of the 179 BIE members, it is necessary to improve the management of the foreign language websites.”

News articles written by foreign media last month were uploaded on Tuesday morning. Screenshot from website of Bid Committee for World Expo 2030 Busan, Korea

Soon after the lawmaker mentioned the problems, the bid committee belatedly uploaded news articles written by foreign media last month. It also admitted that it needed to improve the way it is managing its official websites.

“As the younger generation relies more on social media to communicate and get information, we have focused more on managing our social media than managing the official websites,” a bid committee spokesman said. “It is also easy for us to get immediate responses through social media.”

Yoon Sang-jik, the bid committee's secretary-general, also promised to correct the problems, during Tuesday's meeting at the National Assembly.

Yoon Sang-jik, right, secretary-general of the Bid Committee for World Expo 2030 Busan, Korea, speaks during a session at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. From the front row, left, are Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon, Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin and Yoon. Yonhap

Among the four cities competing to be selected by BIE members in November to host World Expo 2030, Rome updated its English website just two weeks ago with news published on May 31. However, the Italian capital does not have French or Spanish websites.

Ukraine's Odesa, which operates English and French websites for its Expo bid, has not updated its official websites since April.

The Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, Busan's main rival, also operates English and French websites, but it has not uploaded news articles since March.