Wishes for Busan's successful bid for World Expo 2030

Citizens take a look at lighting installation at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul, Thursday, with hopes for Busan to host the World Expo 2030. Yonhap

Wishes for Busan's successful bid for global fair

Kim Jin-pyo, speaker of the National Assembly

Kim Jin-pyo

The World Expo 2030 must be held in Busan. I have met with parliamentary leaders from countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia and confirmed their sympathy and support. There has also been a response from the international community. It perceived positively that the Busan World Expo will not simply be a one-time event but can serve to promote continuous development.

Busan is the world's second-largest transshipment port and a smart city. It has rich experience in hosting major international events, including the 2005 APEC Summit. If Busan hosts the World Expo, it will be an opportunity for us to share our development knowhow with the world. Everyone in Korea is uniting efforts in preparation for the World Expo in Busan. I wish with all my heart for the World Expo 2030 to be held in Busan.

Chey Tae-won, co-chair of World Expo 2030 Busan Bid Committee and chairman of Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Chey Tae-won

Korea believes that it is necessary to transform the Expo into a "Solution Platform" that will find solutions for the problems humanity is facing such as climate change, famine, bi-polarization, digital divide and so on.

To this regard, Korea is to embrace the hosting of the World Expo 2030 in Busan, and bring together the citizens of the globe to discuss how to solve the problems over the next seven years. Korea has already begun its Expo journey with the "WAVE," a newly launched online platform that will enable participation all over the world. Any country, organization, institution or even individual will be able to take part and make changes for Planet Earth and humanity.

Please join us on our journey for a better future, and let's make it happen!

Park Jin, minister of foreign affairs

Park Jin

There are various advantages to the Republic of Korea hosting the World Expo 2030 in Busan.

First, Korea's public and private sectors are working together as the "Korea One Team" to host the Expo. Leading Korean companies have voluntarily come forward on the nation's behalf to negotiate for candidacy.

Second, as a vibrant democracy, Korea advocates universal values such as democracy and human rights. Korea co-hosted the Summit for Democracy 2023 on March 29-30 with the United States, the Netherlands, the Republic of Costa Rica and the Republic of Zambia. It will also host the third Summit next year.

Third, Korea is well-placed to meet the needs of both developing and developed countries, given that it has gone through both the developing and developed phases. Its GNI per capita was only $67 in 1953, but after 70 years, it has increased more than 500 times to reach more than $35,000.

Fourth, the Expo serves as a venue to introduce new technologies. Korea plays a leading role in environmental technologies, hydrogen cars and electric vehicle batteries. With these keys to overcoming climate change, Busan will realize a carbon-neutral Expo.

Finally, the Korean people have a fervent desire and will to host the Expo. Korea also attracts global attention for its K-pop, K-dramas, K-food and K-culture. Now, prominent icons representing Korean culture are serving as honorary ambassadors for the World Expo 2030, such as K-Pop group BTS and star soprano Sumi Jo.

Here's to hosting World Expo 2030 in Busan!

Lee Chang-yang, minister of trade, industry and energy

Lee Chang-yang

The competition to host the World Expo 2030 is heating up. As half of the BIE members have yet to determine whom they will endorse, the Korean government will do its utmost to garner support before the final decision is made in November.

In particular, the BIE Enquiry Mission will visit Korea this week to assess Korea's capabilities and preparations for the World Expo. Over the last six months, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy together with other relevant ministries, Busan Metropolitan City and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has undertaken thorough preparations to demonstrate our competitiveness over other candidate countries.

By hosting the World Expo 2030 in Busan, Korea will take the lead in addressing global key agendas such as climate change and the digital transformation while sharing our unique developmental experiences with the international community. In addition, the World Expo 2030 Busan will serve as an opportunity for Korea to expand its economic diplomacy and elevate its status as a global pivotal state.

Over the remaining eight months, I hope that each and every one of you will join our efforts to successfully host the World Expo 2030 in Busan.

Park Heong-joon, mayor of Busan

Park Heong-joon

Festivities overwhelm the entire city of Busan right now, and the hearts of the citizens are united more passionately than ever before, because they're eager to assure the delegation from BIE of what the World Expo 2030 means to the people of Busan and how remarkably the city can pull off hosting the mega-event.

What we're trying to make happen is hosting a registered Expo, which is held every five years. It's going to be the platform where people from all over the world will reckon with the most imminent problems humanity faces right now ― especially at this time of a great transformative era for human civilization. It's going to be a platform where we will all gather and explore ways to prosper altogether. Hosting the World Expo 2030 successfully will establish Korea as a global pivotal state that will lead the way for a great transformation and co-prosperity of mankind.

Busan is ready. Busan is Expo.