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| Genesis EVs are parked, featuring stickers promoting Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030, in Davos, Switzerland. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group |
By Kim Hyun-bin
Major Korean business conglomerates are gearing up to promote the southern port city of Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030 at the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos, Switzerland.
According to industry officials, Tuesday, the heads of big business groups, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, arrived in Switzerland to attend the WEF, also known as the Davos Forum, after wrapping up their visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of the presidential economic delegation.
While the focus of the UAE trip was to find new growth opportunities, the key task of the business leaders in Davos is to promote Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030.
Under the theme of "Cooperation?in a fragmented?world," the Davos Forum, now in its 53rd year, kicked off Monday and will last through Friday.
Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, and Hanwha Solutions Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan will also attend the forum.
"Many conglomerate chiefs will try to promote Busan's World Expo 2030 bid, but as always each year at the Davos Forum, there are major schedule changes at the scene, so it is difficult at this point how the company heads will try to approach and promote the expo," an industry official familiar with the matter said.
In addition, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) is scheduled to host a Korea Night event in Switzerland to help promote the World Expo bid by inviting influential figures from around the world who are attending the Davos Forum.
The SK Group chairman also serves as the co-chairman of the Busan Expo bid committee and plans to embark on an all-out campaign to help the southern port city host the Expo. Other business leaders also plan to mobilize their global connections to emphasize the benefits of Busan hosting the Expo.
"At Davos Forum luncheons and banquets, we will install various LEDs and advertising slogans to promote Busan's bid to host World Expo 2030," a senior KCCI official said. "After Davos, Chairman Chey Tae-won will meet foreign ambassadors in Paris to explain the expo there as well."
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