'The Dream of Galmaegi Broken by Oil Money'... The Breathless 9-Year Journey of One Team Korea

Declaration to Host the 2030 Expo in 2014
From Zero Possibility to Full-Scale Effort Completion
Plan to Implement Economic Cooperation Without Setbacks

Busan's aspiration to host the 2030 World Expo was thwarted by Saudi Arabia. Despite efforts to counter Saudi Arabia's oil money, which pledged over 10 trillion won in support related to the Expo, through global contributions and fostering international harmony, it was insufficient.

Although Korea's nine-year journey to secure the 2030 Expo ended, it was seen as an opportunity to confirm the unity of the Korea One Team, comprising the government, National Assembly, businesses, and civic groups. The government plans to steadily realize its 'Global Hub Nation Vision' based on the capabilities gathered during this effort.

On the 28th (local time), Busan received 29 out of 165 votes in the 2030 World Expo vote held in Paris, France, avoiding third place (Italy Rome, 17 votes), but lost by allowing Saudi Arabia Riyadh (119 votes) to secure two-thirds of the votes, failing to advance to the second round.

The 2030 Expo bid, officially launched in 2014, saw the Yoon Suk-yeol administration reorganize the 2030 Expo Promotion Committee under the Prime Minister's office just a month after taking office. Despite the combined efforts of the government, National Assembly, businesses, and cultural and artistic sectors, it was not enough.

Since Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman led the strengthening of the Saudi monarchy and 'Vision 2030,' Saudi Arabia launched an active diplomatic campaign immediately after submitting the Expo bid in November 2020. As a result, Korea, acting as a latecomer, was evaluated to have lost the first-mover advantage.

A Nine-Year Journey Since Official Declaration... Full-Scale Effort Under Yoon Administration

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The journey to host the Busan Expo began in 2014 with then-Mayor Seo Byung-soo's official declaration to bid for the Expo. Initially, Busan hoped to host the Summer Olympics but shifted to the Expo after considering infrastructure and future urban development potential. In 2016, Busan submitted a bid plan, a petition signed by 1.37 million Busan citizens, and a government appeal letter to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, marking the start of serious efforts to host the Expo. In May 2019, the Moon Jae-in administration officially designated the 2030 Busan Expo as a national project, initiating government-level support. Park Hyung-jun, who won the April 2021 by-election, took over and submitted the 2030 World Expo bid to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Paris in June of the same year. However, at that time, the government did not conduct an active diplomatic campaign due to perceptions that it was unlikely for an Asian city, especially one in Northeast Asia, to be selected again after the 2020 Dubai Expo and 2025 Osaka Expo. In fact, since the BIE's founding in 1928, no city in the same region has been consecutively selected as a host.

The full-scale bid began with the launch of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. With the outbreak of the Ukraine war last year, the chances of Russia (Moscow) and Ukraine (Odesa), which had submitted bids, hosting the Expo became nonexistent. Among the final candidates, Italy's Rome was seen as less likely to win as Italy was expected to focus more on the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, increasing the possibility of a comeback scenario. The Yoon administration pursued a fierce chase for 567 days after taking office. From July last year to the present, the combined travel distance of President Yoon, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, and heads of 14 companies totals 19,891,579 km, equivalent to 495 laps around the Earth. All summit diplomacy, excluding economic and security issues, focused on securing the Expo. President Yoon met with 462 officials from 96 countries, and Prime Minister Han met with 203 officials from 112 countries.

Nevertheless, after a significant defeat to Saudi Arabia, which promised 4,300 trillion won in Riyadh construction and 10 trillion won in Expo-related support, the Presidential Office and government expressed regret. Kim Eun-hye, the Presidential Office's chief spokesperson, said in a written briefing, "Although the public and private sectors worked fiercely as one team, the result was disappointing," adding, "We extend our condolences and thanks to the citizens of Busan and the public who waited late into the night for the results and supported Busan's bid."

Diplomatic Networks Built Through the Bid to Be Utilized on Other Stages

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Although the Expo bid failed, the economic cooperation and international contribution programs promised and discussed with various countries during the bid will be implemented without disruption. This is based on the judgment that mutual cooperation with not only major countries but also emerging industrial and developing countries is essential for restoring multilateral trade, diversifying supply chains, and strengthening diplomatic power. President Yoon held first-ever summit meetings with countries such as Burundi, Guinea-Bissau, Cook Islands, San Marino, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Nepal following the establishment of diplomatic relations during recent multilateral meetings, discussing cooperation plans. Notably, Korea is a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2024-25 and will chair the Korea-Africa Summit in Seoul next May, requiring international influence in economic, diplomatic, and security fields. President Yoon evaluated the bid at a Cabinet meeting the day before, saying, "Cabinet members and many business leaders contacted every BIE member country without exception and discussed economic cooperation plans," adding, "In this process, we can say that we properly carried out the government's proclaimed global hub diplomacy."

Moreover, considering the possibility of re-challenging the 2035 Expo, there is an intention to manage preparations in advance. The bid committee and Busan believe that since Korea entered the race a year later, it was difficult to overtake Saudi Arabia. To avoid repeating the experience of this failure, if a decision is made to apply for the 2035 Expo, they intend to act swiftly. Upon the announcement of the vote results, Park Hyung-jun, Mayor of Busan, said, "Our Busan has been recognized worldwide for its outstanding capabilities, competitiveness, abundant potential, and possibilities," suggesting the intention to re-challenge by stating, "Based on this, we will have sufficient discussions with the government and Busan citizens to reasonably consider the 2035 Expo bid challenge."