Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
Yoon throws final pitch for Busan Expo with days numbered before vote
President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a Korea National Day reception for representatives from the Bureau International des Expositions, Friday (local time). Yonhap
By Nam Hyun-woo
PARIS – President Yoon Suk Yeol stressed the solidarity of humanity during a Korea National Day reception for representatives from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), Friday (local time), as his final effort during his three-day stay in Paris to promote the city of Busan’s bid to host the World Expo 2030.
During the event, Yoon told 500 delegates from the BIE, diplomats and Korean nationals in France that Korea will spearhead the solidarity of humanity through a Busan World Expo 2030.
“Regional conflicts and divisions across the world are threatening international peace, while climate and energy crises are throwing challenges to the sustainable growth of humanity,” Yoon said.
“We all have to prepare for the future against those challenges, safeguard peace and protect the vulnerable. As a global pivotal state, Korea will spearhead humanity’s solidarity through the Busan World Expo 2030.”
The reception day was Yoon’s last public event in Paris, where he has been staying since Thursday to sell the idea that Busan is the optimal host, just four days before the BIE holds its general assembly and votes for the city to hold the expo.
“By hosting the World Expo 2030 in the port city of Busan, which is the gateway between the Eurasian Continent and the Pacific, Korea seeks to return the assistance it received from the international community,” Yoon said.
“Narrowing the gap between countries, and facilitating the platform for humanity’s sustainable prosperity is the spirit and vision of the Busan World Expo 2030.”
According to the presidential office, Yoon and his wife Kim Keon Hee canvassed each international delegate during the event, alongside business gurus from Korean conglomerates SK, Samsung, Hyundai Motor, and Lotte among others.
During the event, Korean officials explained that Busan is a key logistics hub in Northeast Asia and a driving force behind Korea’s economic growth. They promoted Busan’s distinctive strengths and the charms of Korea such as its food, music and traditional culture.
Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon also said that a country seeking to host a world Expo should engage with other countries “to find the common problems of humanity, not to buy votes.”
“Korea is a country which can be an optimal partner to address almost every challenge that humanity is facing,” Park said.
This was Yoon’s second visit to Paris to promote Busan’s Expo bid this year. In June, he delivered a presentation in front of BIE representatives there, stressing that Busan seeks to host the event to serve as a platform for solutions to crises facing humanity.
The presidential office said it was a rare case for a head of the state to visit the same country within five months, and it was a strategic choice to exploit a critical timeframe for BIE members who are set to vote at the upcoming general assembly, and many countries that have yet to decide which city they will cast their ballots for.
“The government plans to leverage this momentum and make every effort to succeed in attracting the World Expo 2030, until the voting takes place,” an official at the presidential office said.