Korean delegation advances Busan's Expo bid to BIE members in Paris
Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Chey Tae-won speaks during a symposium hosted by the Bid Committee for World Expo 2030 Busan at Pavillon Gabriel in Paris, Monday. Courtesy of Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry
A Korean delegation of business leaders, senior government officials and K-pop artists met with state representatives from around the world at a symposium promoting Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030, according to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Tuesday.
The large-scale Paris visit came with less than 50 days remaining until the Bureau International des Exposition (BIE) votes for the host city of the international event.
The 200-member delegation was headed by KCCI Chairman Chey Tae-won and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo who jointly represent the Bid Committee for World Expo 2030 Busan. Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's special envoy Jang Seong-min and Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon were also key members of the delegation.
The participation of 25 business leaders in the French trip has particularly loaded the delegation with firepower. In addition to Chey who chairs SK Group, Parisians and international visitors saw Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun, Doosan Group Chairman and CEO Park Jeong-won, Samsung Electronics President Park Seung-hee and LG Corp. President and CFO Ha Beom-jong.
Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun, left, speaks to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo during a reception ahead of a symposium hosted by the Bid Committee for World Expo 2030 Busan at Pavillon Gabriel in Paris, Monday. Yonhap
Representatives of POSCO International, Lotte Chemical, Hanwha Aerospace, HD Hyundai and GS Engineering & Construction also joined the team as the country "gives everything it's got," according to the KCCI.
The delegation organized the symposium on Monday, local time, at Pavillon Gabriel. Titled "Why Korea? Why Busan?" the symposium was held in attendance of BIE Secretary General Dimitri Kerkentzes and representatives of the organization's 181 member states.
American economist Jeremy Lifkin, founder of the Foundation on Economic Trends, took to the podium and said Busan is currently witnessing a "harmony between GDP and quality of living," which makes the city ideal for hosting the Expo. Sam Richards, a professor of sociology at Penn State University, said that innovation, education and cooperation are key strengths that transformed the country from an assistance beneficiary to a benefactor.
Chey said that by hosting the Expo, Korea will propose customized solutions to countries with unique problems. To back up to his idea, the symposium exhibited a special side booth called "WAVE." It demonstrated an online platform developed earlier this year by Busan Metropolitan City whereby people from around the world share their local problems and possible solutions.
The problems humanity currently faces, including climate change and energy transition, cannot be solved by a few advanced countries, Chey told the symposium audience. He said World Expo 2030 Busan will be a place for people from around the world to gather and discuss feasible solutions together.
Soprano Sumi Jo, right, performs during a symposium hosted by the Bid Committee for World Expo 2030 Busan at Pavillon Gabriel in Paris, Monday. Courtesy of Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry
The symposium momentarily turned into a concert as Korean soprano Sumi Jo performed seven songs including "Ah, je veux vivre" from Romeo and Juliet.
The symposium was one of the self-promoting opportunities given by the BIE to three candidate cities competing to host the World Expo 2030. Busan, Rome and Riyadh were thus allowed to give five presentations and one symposium to the BIE member states before the organization's 173rd General Assembly hosts an election on Nov. 28 to vote for the winning city.
The Korean delegation invited BIE member state representatives to a gala dinner on Saturday with celebrities like PSY and Carla Bruni expected to appear. The gala is a bid voluntarily taken by the Koreans without any obligation from the organization. The following day will see K-pop TV program "M Countdown" shooting live at Paris La Defense Arena. It is the first time the program will be filmed in Paris, with K-pop acts NCT DREAM, TREASURE and ZEROBASEONE performing in front of an expected audience of around 30,000.