News
Korean leaders are `all in' as BIE Expo vote nears
President Yoon participated in the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, from Sept. 9 to 10.
In November, the Bureau International des Expositions will select the host city for the World Expo 2030. The three candidates are Busan, Rome and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. At first, Busan was not considered a strong contender. However, thanks to the collective effort of government, business and civil leaders, Busan is now expecting a positive result.
President Yoon Suk Yeol has taken the lead in promoting Busan's candidacy. Pushing a "one team" approach, the president has rallied central and local governments, and the country's largest business conglomerates in his efforts to host the World Expo 2030.
Hosting the event, often called the "Economic and Cultural Olympics," is a significant priority for Yoon's administration. This passion has been reflected in the president's foreign relations agenda. In September, Yoon attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit talks in Jakarta, Indonesia. He met with his Indonesian counterpart, President Joko Widodo. During the summit, the two presidents agreed to expand strategic cooperation in diplomacy, security and trade.
Furthermore, Yoon met with leaders of the 10 ASEAN countries and asked them to support Busan's Expo bid. He emphasized Korea's unique transformation; the country went from a recipient to a donor country in just half a century. He argued that World Expo 2030 Busan would allow Korea to help other countries by expanding business opportunities, sharing cutting-edge technology and facilitating cultural exchange.
After the ASEAN Summit, the president traveled to New Delhi, India, to attend the G20 Summit. Yoon participated in a session on climate change and the environment, a key focus of Busan's World Expo theme. The president spoke on how Korea is combating climate change. Yoon also attended the "One Future" meeting and discussed how Korea will contribute to a free, peaceful and prosperous future for all countries.
Finally, the Yoon attended the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York from Sept. 18 to 23.
Between the ASEAN Summit, the G20 Summit, and the UN General Assembly, the president met with 70 world leaders in a single month. In addition to discussing global issues, Yoon lobbied the leaders to support World Expo 2030 Busan.
Mayor Park at the BIE Inspection Team welcome reception.
Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon has matched President Yoon's diplomatic efforts. Park has tirelessly burnished Busan's global profile and promoted the city's Expo bid. In the first half of 2023, the mayor visited cities across Europe, Africa, Central and South America, and the Pacific Islands. These trips have strengthened Busan's diplomatic ties and expanded the city's economic trade and cultural exchange partnerships.
In the second half of this year, Park will invite global leaders to Busan and show why it is the perfect World Expo host city. The city will hold several large-scale events, showcasing its ability to manage a global audience돟 the Busan International Film Festival from Oct. 4 to 13; the Buil Film Awards on Oct. 5; the Busan International Rock Festival from Oct. 7 to 8; the Busan Fireworks Festival on Nov. 4; and the gaming exhibition G-Star 2023 from Nov. 16 to 19.
Global attention and interest in these events could give Busan momentum ahead of the BIE vote in November. Busan is definitely ready. When the final ballots are counted, citizens nationwide can feel proud that Korea put its heart and soul into winning the Expo bid.