The Importance of The 2030 Busan World Expo

Enjoy finger-licking seafood like juicy crabs? Are you a K-pop fan or, better, a member of the BTS Army? Maybe you’re into Korean soap operas or Lee Jung-jae’s “Squid Game.” If you’re interested in savoring all three in one place, then please support the 2030 Busan World Expo, where you'll be in for a ride!

World Expos are global exhibitions aimed at finding solutions to the world’s pressing problems. The first of its kind was held in London in 1851 and has since expanded globally, with the mission of advancing humanity’s knowledge in science, technology and economy. Busan is one of the four cities bidding to host the 2030 World Expo, competing with Rome (Italy), Odessa (Ukraine), and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia).

Why Busan? The Busan World Expo will feature an epoch-making theme: “Transforming our World and Navigating Towards a Better Future.” Participants will witness firsthand the globe’s impending challenges encompassing climate change, the Fourth Industrial Revolution and inequities in our international community, and globally coordinated efforts for resolution. Inspired by the three pillars of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Busan will host three subthemes: (1) Sustainable Living with Nature, (2) Technology for Humanity, and (3) Platform for Caring and Sharing. Tapping into Korea’s rapid development history and its rich pioneering technologies, the 2030 Busan World Expo invites all participants to envision new ways of life for humankind that are technologically revolutionary, yet sustainable and inclusive.

The 2030 Busan World Expo will be a dynamic global festival, welcoming all. Attracting more than 40 million annually to its gleaming coastal beaches1, the global metropolis embodies a harmony of Korean tradition and modernity. From old majestic temples to kaleidoscopic local food markets, which you probably got a glimpse of in Marvel's “Black Panther” movie, the bustling city has become the epicenter of K-culture and is home to one of Asia’s largest annual cultural events, the Busan International Film Festival. A main station for one of the world’s fastest bullet trains, the KTX, this global hub will unravel a new future utilizing cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and 6G. Visitors to the 2030 Busan World Expo will embark on a new journey transcending the current crisis into a new future for humanity.

Even K-pop star band BTS and the sole survivor of “Squid Game,” Lee Jung-jae, have openly endorsed Busan’s bid for the 2030 World Expo. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to see them in the flesh. But even if you don’t, support Busan and catch a flight there in 2030 because, if voted for, the Busan World Expo will surely be a spectacle to admire.

By Sung Jacob Si-yun, Yongsan International School of Seoul