 |
| Hyundai Motor, Kia Corp. headquarters in Seoul / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group |
By Kim Hyun-bin
Hyundai Motor Group is striving to win support in Africa for Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030. Kia CEO Song Ho-sung departed for Africa as a special envoy for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to host the Expo, Sunday.
According to the company, Song will visit South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe for six days through Sept. 23.
Song is the first businessman to be dispatched overseas as the minister of foreign affairs' special envoy for Busan's bid to host the Expo.
Africa has 45 member countries of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), which is the second largest following Europe with 48 members.
"Africa has the second largest number of members of the international organization on the Expo after Europe, so this visit is very meaningful," a Hyundai Motor Group official said.
Song will visit Johannesburg and Pretoria, the administrative capital, of South Africa, Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, and Harare, the capital of the Republic of Zimbabwe, to meet with high-ranking government officials and key figures from ministries related to foreign affairs and trade. At those meetings, he plans to explain Busan's competitiveness and future vision and seek support for the southern port city's bid.
He plans to emphasize that Korea is the best country to support the growth of African countries by sharing the case of the country's transition from an economic aid recipient to a donor nation.
The CEO will also seek future cooperation between these countries and Hyundai Motor Group.
Hyundai Motor Group has been operating "Green Light Project," a social contribution project in Africa since 2012, and there will be discussions on the possibility of various social contribution projects in the future.
In addition, Song plans to exchange opinions on the supply and charging of electric vehicles (EV) in Africa.
Last month, Hyundai Motor Group formed the "Busan Expo Promotion Support TF team," the first among large domestic companies to do so.
Song, who leads the TF, has served as the head of Kia's European operations and global business management headquarters.
In July, Hyundai Motor Group invited high-ranking ministers and vice ministers from 10 major Latin American countries to "Hyundai Motor Studio Busan" in support of the Expo bid.
![[INTERVIEW] Mirinae Lee's '8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster' offers fresh perspective on Korean history](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/5fb62072584d44649ed0ca5956d387ea.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[REVIEW] Preview gala sets stage for grand premiere of 'La Rose de Versailles' musical](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/c7528d2924cd43c8a469cd46e6f56127.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
