"Neck-and-neck race with no clear winner
Fighting desperately to gain even one more vote"
Choi Tae-won, chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and head of the private committee for the 2030 World Expo bid, has embarked on a final intensive campaign flying economy class on airplanes.
On the 23rd, Chairman Choi posted photos on his social media showing himself seated in economy class on a foreign airline and meeting representatives from various countries to promote the Busan Expo bid, writing, "Now it is really just five days away."
He continued, "When I first jumped in, it was an impossible fight with no chance of winning, but thanks to the Korean government and many companies putting their utmost effort, we are now closing in so closely that no one can predict the outcome."
Chairman Choi said, "Every day, I meet with several prime ministers and cabinets from new countries, risking everything to gain even one more vote," adding, "For now, I will do my best for the Expo here until the very last moment."
In response to comments such as "How tight must the schedule be for a chairman of a large corporation to fly economy?" Chairman Choi replied, "It’s worth it" and "Time is money."
Despite a leg injury in June that required him to use crutches, Chairman Choi has been traveling the world, and as the host city vote approaches, he is dividing his time by the minute to secure every possible vote. When appointments with key figures in certain countries are suddenly made, delays can occur in obtaining permission to fly on a private jet.
An SK Group official said, "We decided it was better to arrive quickly and meet the counterpart rather than wait a day or two to take a private jet, so sometimes economy class is used due to urgent bookings."
Arriving in Paris, France, earlier this month, Chairman Choi has been making a last-ditch effort to secure undecided votes by visiting seven countries in Latin America and Europe from the 13th to the 23rd, covering a total flight distance of 22,000 km over ten days, appealing to heads of state in an average of one country per day for the Busan Expo bid.
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