Mexican presidential candidate promises to invite BTS to Mexico

Marcelo Ebrard, one of the major candidates in Mexico’s 2024 presidential race, has vowed to invite K-pop superstar group BTS to the country as part of his election campaign, according to news reports Monday.

On Saturday, the 63-year-old former foreign minister visited an animation festival held in Actopan, Hidalgo, eastern Mexico to woo young voters where he shared his plan to bring BTS to the event as early as 2025.

Holding a poster with pictures of BTS members, he said, “In 2025 when they are supposed to complete their mandatory military service, or maybe in 2024, we could invite them.”

"We should make it possible for them to come here," he said.

Ebrard, who has served as the country’s foreign minister since the inauguration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in December 2018, resigned from his position in June to compete for the presidential nomination of the ruling left-leaning National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party.

He has openly displayed his interest in Korean culture. He attended Blackpink’s concert held in Mexico City earlier in April.

Other contenders for the ruling party's presidential candidate nomination include Claudia Sheinbaum, former mayor of Mexico City, and Alfonso Durazo, former minister of internal affairs.

The party will carry out a public opinion poll to check the suitability of its presidential candidates between July and August and proceed with the second poll in December. Mexico’s presidential election is scheduled for June 2 next year. The new president’s term will begin on December 1 of the same year.