Korea submits bid to host Busan Expo 2030

SEJONG -- South Korea on Wednesday turned in a formal bid to host the World Expo 2030 in its second-largest city of Busan to the Bureau International des Expositions.

A Korean delegation, led by First Vice Minister of Industry Jang Young-jin, stressed the distinctive merits of Korea and Busan, as well as the government’s strong will, during a meeting with BIE Secretary-General Dimitri Kerkentzes at the organization’s headquarters in Paris.

The bid details that Busan had successfully hosted international events such as the 2002 Summer Asian Games, the 2005 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit and the 2022 International Film Festival.

The delegation, via the bid, unveiled the theme of “Transforming Our World, Navigating Toward a Better Future” with three subthemes: sustainable living with nature, technology for humanity, and platform for caring and sharing, according to the Industry Ministry.

The first subtheme included the key words green energy, green industrial revolution and green partnership.

Key words for the second subtheme were innovative technology, human technology and inclusive technology.

The third subtheme covers platforms for social safety net, gap settlement and knowledge sharing.

“The bid will later be delivered to 170 members of the BIE, and be used for documents for due diligence, slated for the first quarter of 2023,” the ministry said.

From Tuesday to Wednesday, the delegation also called for officials from some of the 170 member countries, who were staying in Paris, to support Busan’s expo hosting.

The venue for the World Expo 2030 will be announced through a vote during the 173rd General Assembly of the BIE in November 2023 after a chain of procedures, such as due diligence.

The 2020 World Expo was held in Dubai from October 2021-March 2022, after being postponed in the wake of the pandemic.

Busan is Korea's largest port city with a population of 3.3 million, as of August.

By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)