Busan is good

Busan to bid to host int'l conference on water management

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Busan, Korea's largest port, will bid to host a world conference on water management in 2012, city officials said Wednesday (Aug. 2).

The city plans to send an official delegation to publicize its bid during an upcoming International water congress and exhibition to be held in Beijing in September, they said.

The regulator of the congress, the International Water Association, is a global network of specialists in water management, including sustainable development of water resources.

Beijing is this year's host for the biennial conference.

Busan officials said their city is expected to compete with cities in Japan, Singapore and Taiwan for the 2012 conference. The final decision will be made at the association's board meeting in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in September next year.

"By hosting IWA's conference in Busan in 2012, we hope to heighten the city's image as a center for international meetings," the city government said in a statement.

City officials expressed optimism for the 2012 conference, saying that Busan "has already displayed sufficient capability to host major international conferences such as the APEC forum of 2005."

APEC, or the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, is a grouping of 21 Asian and Pacific Rim countries, including the U.S., Korea, Japan and China. Busan hosted its leaders' summit last year.

The source of news : Korea.net  August 03, 2006