Participation in Paris International Exhibitions Organization General Assembly on 28-29
Chamber of Commerce dispatches private delegation including Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor
Growing interest in 'watershed' presentation for hosting bid
On the 26th of last month, Choi Tae-won, Co-Chairman of the 2030 Busan World Expo Joint Hosting Committee, spoke at the Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting held at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Haeundae-gu, Busan. On this day, Chairman Choi Tae-won and Minister Cho Seung-hwan of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries requested support from the foreign ministers of the Pacific Island countries for the bid to host the 2030 Busan World Expo. [Photo by Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seoyoon] The decisive "Paris campaign" that will significantly influence the selection of the host city for the 2030 Busan World Expo will take place on the 28th.
According to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on the 27th, Choi Tae-won, chairman of KCCI and SK Group, who is the private sector chairman for Korea's Expo bid, will attend the 171st General Assembly of the International Bureau of Expositions (BIE) in Paris, France, for two days starting the next day, launching full-scale bid activities.
This General Assembly is the first meeting since candidate countries submitted their official bid applications last September. With one year left before the host country selection, fierce competition is expected among Korea, Saudi Arabia, Italy, and Ukraine.
Korea will form a private delegation including Chairman Choi Tae-won, Samsung Electronics President Lee In-yong, SK SV Chairman Lee Hyung-hee, and Hyundai Motor Vice President Kim Dong-wook, working in unison with the government delegation to strengthen the bid effort.
Consolidating Support through Individual Contacts with Member Countries
Woo Tae-hee, Executive Vice Chairman of KCCI, emphasized, “The ‘One Team Korea’ public-private strategy has been a distinguishing factor from competing countries and has played a significant role in many international event bids. The participation of domestic companies in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, 2002 World Cup, and Pyeongchang Winter Olympics served as a turning point that ultimately led to successful bids. We have high expectations for corporate contributions this time as well.”
The private delegation plans to support the government delegation during the General Assembly and explain Korea’s Expo bid preparations through individual contacts with member countries, conveying Korea’s intention to host. They will also hold multiple receptions inviting BIE member country representatives and related officials to consolidate support through multi-layered engagement.
Park Dong-min, Secretary-General of the Private Committee for World Expo Bid Support, stated, “The government and private sectors have meticulously divided roles to establish a flawless negotiation schedule. We plan to conduct dense and high-impact activities in a short period by fully leveraging the fact that many countries seek business cooperation with Korean companies.”
Chairman Choi Tae-won Participates from Presentation Planning Stage... Proposes Differentiation Strategy
The 171st General Assembly is expected to be a turning point for the 2030 Expo bid. Competitor countries, including Korea, are scheduled to conduct the third round of presentations on the morning of the 29th, which will have a significant impact on the final announcement in November next year.
In the second presentation held in June, Korea was praised for effectively conveying its determination to host the Busan Expo, with the Prime Minister delivering the message in a mix of English and French. In the upcoming third presentation, Korea plans to communicate the meaning and value of the Busan Expo as a future-generation platform seeking solutions to humanity’s pressing challenges.
To this end, Chairman Choi Tae-won has reportedly participated directly from the presentation planning stage, proposing a strategy that differentiates Korea from competing countries. A new form of presentation, unlike previous ones, has been prepared to make it easy for people of all nations and generations to understand the significance the Busan Expo wishes to share with the world.
The private committee led by Chairman Choi consists of 12 major domestic conglomerates including Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, LG, Lotte, and POSCO. Over the past six months, they have mobilized their global networks to visit 70 member countries and request support. The KCCI, which operates the private committee’s secretariat, has implemented a differentiated bid strategy by selecting key countries tailored to the characteristics of member companies and supporting customized bid activities.
Held every five years, the World Expo is one of the world’s top three international events alongside the Olympics and the World Cup. With Korea, Saudi Arabia, Italy, and Ukraine having already submitted bid applications, the host city for the 2030 World Expo will be decided by secret ballot at the BIE General Assembly in November next year.
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