[BusanIsReady] "The Business Sector Is Serious About the Expo" Companies Are Racing

Business Leaders' Heads Fully Mobilized for France Tour
Groups Also Hustling in Expo Hosting Competition

The business community is working tirelessly to attract the '2030 Busan World Expo.' Group chairpersons accompanied President Yoon Suk-yeol on his trip to France to provide support. Many companies are striving to create a favorable atmosphere for the bid through various advertisements and promotional activities.

From the 20th (local time), the 172nd General Assembly of the International Bureau of Expositions (BIE) is being held in Paris for two days, where the heads of 12 domestic groups gathered. Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Chairman Choi Tae-won of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Chairman of the Private Committee for Expo Bid Support) as well as SK Group Chairman departed for Paris, France on the 18th. Chairman Choi, who injured his ankle, left with crutches bearing the Busan Expo logo, showing his determination to attract the Expo.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

It was also reported that LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Eui-sun, Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Dong-kwan, Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Won-tae, and Hyosung Group Vice Chairman Cho Hyun-sang also departed. They will attend the 4th competitive presentation at the BIE General Assembly and participate in the Korea-France Business Roundtable and luncheon reception the following day.

Busan, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, and Rome in Italy are competing to host the event. The host country will be finally decided in November. The business community plans to mobilize all capabilities to continue the bid during the remaining five months after this 4th presentation.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Samsung is conducting Expo bid activities by leveraging its global capabilities. As the domestic company with the most overseas bases, not only senior executives at headquarters but also regional heads abroad are participating in the Expo bid activities. Veteran personnel with experience from the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics bid are also involved in strategy formulation and execution.

Chairman Lee Jae-yong personally met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in June last year, emphasizing that "the 2030 Expo will be a great opportunity to showcase next-generation semiconductor technologies that Korea and the Netherlands are jointly leading to the world." In September last year, he met with Mexican President Manuel L?pez Obrador and Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo, requesting support by stressing that "the Busan Expo will be a venue presenting visions and innovative technologies for a better future for humanity."

Samsung Electronics executives, including Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee, also inspected local businesses during overseas trips and consecutively met with top leaders such as the German Vice Chancellor, Vietnamese President, Spanish Prime Minister, and King of Lesotho to request support for the Busan Expo bid.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

SK Group, led by Chairman Choi, has also actively engaged its top executives in the Expo bid. In June last year, they established a World Expo Task Force (TF) team composed of vice chairman-level executives under the SK Supex Council.

Chairman Cho Dae-sik of the Supex Council serves as the TF leader and is responsible for Asia, SK North America External Cooperation General Manager Yoo Jung-jun leads the on-site support team, SK Inc. President Jang Dong-hyun heads the planning and promotion team, SK Hynix CEO Park Jung-ho is in charge of the Americas, Japan, and Western Europe, and SK Innovation CEO Kim Jun is responsible for the Middle East, Africa, Oceania, and Eastern Europe, meeting key figures in their respective regions.

Promotion efforts at home and abroad are also intense. Doosan Group is conducting promotional activities to support the Expo bid at major domestic and international exhibitions, including the world's top three construction machinery exhibitions and the largest domestic drone exhibition. GS Group covered the exterior of its headquarters, GS Tower, with large promotional materials for the Expo bid, and also displayed promotional materials supporting the bid on the Grand Seoul Building, occupied by GS Construction, and on the outdoor electronic billboard on Taepyeong-ro by GS Caltex.