[INTERVIEW] Busan to transform into an international city for World Expo 2030

Economy

Published: 11 Jul. 2022, 17:59 Updated: 12 Jul. 2022, 12:37

[INTERVIEW] Busan to transform into an international city for World Expo 2030

Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on July 5 in Busan [PARK SANG-MOON]

Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon sees the World Expo 2030 as more than just a major global event.

He is confident it will serve as the catalyst in transforming one of the biggest cities on the Peninsula into a truly competitive international city, much like Hong Kong or Singapore, a hub for international businesses and a cultural center representing Asia.

"Many people still think the World Expo would be a Busan exclusive event," Park said. "However, the World Expo is a national event that will serve as an opportunity to showcase Korea's strength not only in its advanced technologies but also in its cultural strength."

"Busan is a city that represents freedom. It is a city that is open-minded and will contribute to unifying the world with its openness," Park said stressing that the biggest southern city on the Peninsula is the right place to realize the World Expo's value of moving humanity forward.

Park said the various projects including the world's first floating city in North Port, which is a collaboration with UN-Habitat and OCEANIX, will show Busan's strengths in technology and its determination in tackling the growing climate change challenges.

Gadeok New Airport will help further bolster Busan's position as a global logistics center as it will create synergy with the city's ports.

He has also plans to step up the city's cultural opportunities with projects, such as a classical music hall and an opera house.
The mayor said the biggest rival to Busan is currently Saudi Arabia.

He said one of the key advantages of the southern port city over the oil-rich Middle East city is sunshine and a cool breeze, which he said he emphasized during his presentation last month in Paris.

Park has many titles. While starting off his career as a journalist, he is also a sociology professor and a politician who worked at the Blue House during the Lee Myung-bak administration.

Park has been Busan mayor since 2021, when he won a by-election.

Mayor Park sat down with Cheong Chul-gun, CEO of the Korea JoongAng Daily, on July 5, to talk about Busan's bid for the World Expo in 2030.

The following are edited excerpts from the interview.

Q, Can you give a brief status update on the progress of the bidding for the World Expo?

A. We submitted our proposal for the World Expo in June last year and have made two presentations to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). If we are to win the bid, we will be the seventh country to have held all three major global events, including the Olympic Games and the World Cup.

The deadline for the final plan is September, and the last presentation will be made in the second half of next year.

The government has shown its full support, including President Yoon Suk-yeol campaigning for the hosting of the World Expo in Busan by video during the second presentation held in Paris last month.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo made a speech in person in Paris, reaffirming Korea's strong will and the justifications for it hosting the expo. We are now just getting started, and we are confident that we can turn the tide in our favor.

The host city will be decided in November next year.

What is your strategy?

The support from the government has been reinforced since President Yoon Suk-yeol has taken up the issue personally.

Last year, it wasn't easy as the Moon Jae-in government was coming to an end. But since then, support from businesses has also increased, and now we are fully prepared to face our competition.

The biggest rival is Saudi Arabia. It moved early in the campaign under the command of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

While they have the head start, we have a strong fighting chance as we have diverse diplomatic capacity and strong capacity in the private sector. Yet we are not letting our guard down.

The withdrawal of Moscow has lifted some of the weight, while there is a general election going on in Rome.

So the two that are most competitively vying for the World Expo are us and Riyadh.

In the bid, we are trying to emphasize Busan being the best place where the value of the World Expo can be realized.

That's why our theme "Transforming Our World, Navigating Toward a Better Future," is not only about new technology but also the major ecosystem changes caused by climate change and on digital transformation inclusiveness.

Busan is a city that not only has leading digital technology but also succeeding at challenges in wide range of areas related to climate change.

The World Expo will be celebrating its 100th year in 2030.

And at such an important event, we plan to drive the message where humanity should head for another century by addressing key challenges, including climate change and the wealth gap.

Mayor Park Heong-joon presenting a computer image of the world’s first floating city in North Port, which is a collaboration with the UN-Habitat and OCEANIX, during the bidding presentation during the BIE general meeting in Paris in June. [BUSAN METROPOLITAN CITY GOVERNMENT]

In June, I presented the idea of the world's first sustainable floating city, a collaboration with UN-Habitat and OCEANIX, during the Bureau International des Expositions General Assembly in Paris.

The floating city, which could accommodate 12,000 people, is a pilot project that addresses the issue of climate change. The artificial island not only produces its own energy but recycles resources and therefore does not emit carbon.

It is more than for climate refugees as it is a marine smart city realized with leading digital technology, a prime model for the future.

And this project, which is the first in the world, is a new growth engine for Busan.

Busan is also a city where different cultures, ages, genders and religions are embraced due to its unique geography located between the Eurasia and the Pacific.

What do you think the significance of the World Expo is in today's world?

Many people still think the World Expo as a Busan exclusive event.

But the World Expo is a national event that will serve as an opportunity to showcase Korea's strengths not only in its advanced technologies but also in its cultural strengths.

This is one of the reasons why Saudi Arabia has jumped in early in competing for the World Expo in 2030. It hopes to completely transform the country's image.

The World Expo has a huge economic advantage. Unlike the Olympic Games or the World Cup, it is held for six months.

The World Expo hosted in Dubai recently had 20 million visitors. If it weren't for the pandemic, that number could have been 30 to 40 million.

The direct economic effect is estimated to be twice the size of the Olympic Games or the World Cup.

Korea has hosted both the Olympic Games, in 1988 and in 2018, as well as the World Cup. However, these are global events whose value is focused on entertainment.

The World Expo on the other hand is a platform where new technologies and architecture are exhibited.

But today the World Expo is more than that. It is where the value of humanity is being pushed forward and the future course suggested.

The World Expo will be an opportunity for us to show our uniqueness and push the country to become one of the world's top 7 countries.

Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon, second from right, and HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, second from left, pose with an agreement on June 24 where the popular boy band BTS will be holding a concert in the city in October in support of Busan’s bid to host the World Expo in 2030. [BUSAN METROPOLITAN CITY GOVERNMENT]

What is your approach in winning the bid?

We have adopted a two-track strategy. While the government and leading businesses will be campaigning for the World Expo from the top, we plan to increase international support from bottom up using K-culture as a medium, including the active promotion by BTS.

We expect 500,000 to 600,000 people to show up for the BTS concert, which will be held in Busan, in support of the World Expo to be held in Busan.

The concert, which will be livestreamed on YouTube, will have a bigger impact than the BTS concert in Los Angeles.

This is a strategy that other competitors — Riyadh and Rome — don't have.

Other Korean cultural icons, including actor Lee Jung-jae from "Squid Game" and globally renowned soprano singer Sumi Jo, are also Busan World Expo ambassadors.

We plan to expand this pool to include major sports icons and world renowned classical musicians and artists.

Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon, right, with "Squid Game" actor Lee Jung-jae, who was appointed as the first celebrity public relations ambassador of the Busan World Expo 2030, during a ceremony held at Lotte Hotel in Seoul in December. [BUSAN METROPOLITAN CITY GOVERNMENT]

What do you think is the biggest attraction of the city, especially regarding business?

Busan is a city where land and maritime civilization meet.

It is the entry point to North Asia with access to transportation, including aviation, rail and ports.

While the city has some of the mildest weather from spring to fall, it is especially attractive for businesses as it is the world's No. 2 as a transit port and world's seventh by cargo.

The North Port, where the World Expo will be held, will be transforming into a smart port that adopts leading technology, with a maritime R&D zone.

Busan is moving forward with the construction of Gadeok New Airport. How important is the airport regarding its role in the southern regions surrounding the city as well as for the World Expo?

Many people consider the New Airport at Gadeok Island to be a passenger flight terminal. In fact, it will be built to be a hub for cargo.

Busan has one of the world's leading ports, and the addition of Gadeok New Airport will create massive synergy that will further strengthen Busan and its neighbor as a logistics hub.

Gadeok New Airport will be essential in contributing to the expansion of new industries not only in tourism but also in air cargo.

If the relationship with North Korea improves, we will be able to establish a "tripod" system in logistics — road, rail and ship.

The logistics costs of Busan port alone are 20 percent less than that of any port in Japan. The goal of Busan is to become an international city much like Hong Kong and Singapore.

That's why we are also working on expanding other trade-related industries including finance. We are currently working on creating a digital finance center with digital exchange and a special district for blockchain.

Busan will truly become the international city representing Korea.

That's why we need to build the airport ahead of the World Expo in 2030, and the Busan City Government is closely working with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

What is your plan on the megacity development in Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang, and how could the World Expo in 2030 boost this development?

Economically and sociologically, Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang are closely connected.

While large companies, especially manufacturers, are operating in Ulsan, South Gyeongsang and Busan have many SMEs, particularly those that specialize in marine businesses and shipbuilding.

We are working on expanding the synergy between the regions, including 35-trillion won ($26.8 billion) of support from the central government in realizing our megacity projects.

The World Expo is expected to contribute to strengthening the southern regions, including Ulsan and South Gyeongsang, as a megacity with a population of roughly 8 million, which is 15 percent of the total population, and a GDP that is 27 percent of the national GDP.

The key factor to the success of our megacity plan is investment.

It is an area in which I am focusing most since I became mayor.

Once we succeed in winning the bid to host the World Expo, investment opportunities will expand. These investments will help change Busan into a true international city not only in economic terms but also culturally.

A computer image of Busan’s opera house, which is to be built in the city’s North Port. The opera house is expected to be open in 2024. [BUSAN METROPOLITAN CITY GOVERNMENT]

We are currently constructing Busan International Art Center, a classical music concert hall, and plan on building an opera house. We are also in the process of opening the Busan branch of France's Centre Pompidou, where international art will be exhibited.

One of the key issues that needs to be solved in becoming an international city is children's education. As such, the British international private school Royal Russell will be opening a campus in the city.

What does Busan represent as a city?

Busan is a city that represents freedom. It is a city that is open-minded and will contribute to unifying the world with its openness.

Busan is a city where both work and vacation are possible. It is our biggest competitiveness as a future city.

Busan has seven beaches. For residents, it is as though they are living in a vacation spot.

The World Expo if held in Busan will also contribute to improving the country's regional-balance development as Busan will become an international hub in the southern region.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]