Osaka-Kansai World Expo
'Korea Day' Week Begins Tomorrow
On the 13th, which marks one month since the opening of the '2025 Osaka·Kansai World Expo (Expo)', a 'Korea Day' event will be held, with various exhibition spaces decorated with Korea's representative culture, technology, and products. On the 13th, official events will include a reenactment of the sea route of the Joseon Tongsinsa, which traveled between Busan and Osaka, as well as cultural performances. Following this, a five-day period until the 17th will be designated as 'Korea Week', providing opportunities to experience Korean culture and technology. During the six-month duration of the Expo, 158 participating countries each take turns as the main feature of a 'National Day'. Korea's turn falls during this week.
On the 13th, the opening day of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, visitors inside the exhibition hall are taking commemorative photos with the Expo character 'Myaku Myaku' in the background. Photo by Yonhap News
The event is expected to attract significant attention in Japan, especially as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan. On the 13th, Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, will attend as the representative of Korean business leaders, and government officials such as Ahn Dukgeun, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, will also be present to meet with key Japanese political and business figures. Major figures from both Korea and Japan are expected to use this occasion to reflect on the close relationship built over the past 60 years and to seek even closer cooperation in the future.
'Japan-Educated' Lee Jae-yong, Expectations as a Civilian Diplomat
With the upcoming 'Korea Day' event set to shine in Osaka, the Korean business community is particularly focused on the attendance and role of Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics. According to industry sources, after attending the official Korea Day event in Osaka the following day, Chairman Lee plans to visit his company's pop-up store at the Korea Excellent Product Exhibition, which will be held at the Rihga Royal Hotel and Yumeshima Exhibition Hall. Around 60 Korean companies that have entered or wish to enter the Japanese market will participate in the Korea Excellent Product Exhibition, and Samsung Electronics will operate a pop-up store at the venue to showcase its technology and market entry expertise.
Chairman Lee was selected as the ideal representative to fulfill the role of a 'civilian diplomat' on behalf of Korean business leaders at this Expo. His background includes earning a master's degree in business administration from Keio University Graduate School in 1995, as well as collaborating with major Japanese companies on various business ventures as an executive. He has also actively engaged with Japanese business leaders. In February, he drew public attention when he met with Masayoshi Son, Chairman of SoftBank Group, with whom he has maintained a close relationship, and Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, at Samsung Electronics' Seocho office.
There is also interest in whether Chairman Lee will use this visit to meet with executives from leading Japanese companies such as Toyota. Some speculate about the possibility of another meeting with Chairman Son. Previously, from April 2 to 9, Chairman Lee also traveled to Japan, where he reportedly met mainly with executives from local semiconductor materials, parts, and equipment companies.
Closer Korea-Japan Ties: '107 Trillion Won in Trade'
The relationship between Korea and Japan, which has been closely intertwined for the past 60 years, has recently grown even stronger and more robust. Due to factors such as the imposition of tariffs by the United States, uncertainty has cast a shadow over the global market. In Korea, there are increasing calls to join forces with Japan as a 'cooperation partner' to find new opportunities. On May 8, Chey Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (and Chairman of SK Group), proposed forming an economic community similar to the European Union (EU) during a meeting with Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, emphasizing the need to seek economic solidarity with Japan, Korea's closest neighbor.
The scale of trade between the two countries has also grown rapidly. According to data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea International Trade Association, Japan ranks as Korea's fourth-largest export destination and third-largest import source. In 2023, annual trade volume reached $76.7 billion (approximately 107 trillion won). For the period from January to September last year, the trade volume stood at $57 billion (approximately 79 trillion won), which is also significant. Exports increased by 2.8% compared to the same period the previous year. In particular, the increase in exports and imports of electronic components such as semiconductors played a key role. As of September last year, the volume of electronic components, including semiconductors, exported from Korea to Japan increased by 35% compared to the same month the previous year, while imports from Japan to Korea rose by 97%.
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