Lobbying begins overseas for Busan's Expo 2030 bid

Industry

Published: 19 Jun. 2022, 17:42

Lobbying begins overseas for Busan's Expo 2030 bid

From left in first row: Samsung Electronics Corporate Communications President Rhee In-yong, Korea International Trade Association Chairman Koo Ja-yeol, SK Group and Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Chey Tae-won and President Yoon Suk-yeol pose for a photo on May 31, when a private sector-led committee bidding to host the World Expo 2030 was launched. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Titans of Korea Inc. are going overseas to promote Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030.

Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), left for Paris on Sunday to attend the 170th general assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), which opens Tuesday. Busan is competing with Rome and Riyadh to host the expo in 2030. Bidding countries and other BIE members will be at the general assembly.

Chey will meet BIE Secretary General Dimitri Kerkentzes and various foreign ambassadors in Paris. The host country will be decided by a vote of 170 BIE member countries, and lobbying is important.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo also left for Paris on Sunday, and he is scheduled to make a speech during the BIE general assembly.

Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin will be pitching for Busan at the Consumer Goods Forum’s Global Summit in Dublin between June 20 to 23. Shin will meet CEOs of global retail companies at the event to try to convince them that Busan is the best city to host the expo.

A booth will be set up at the event to showcase Lotte companies, but the booth will also have leaflets and promotional videos for Busan’s World Expo 2030 bid.

Lotte Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding with the city of Busan on June 2 promising to help lobby on behalf of Busan's bid.

A private sector-led bid committee comprised of business leaders was launched May 31. It is led by SK Group’s Chey.

Big name companies including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, LG, Lotte, Posco, Hanwha, GS, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Shinsegae and CJ are part of the committee, with each operating a task force to support Busan's bid.

SK’s Supex Council launched its World Expo task force on June 1. It plans to communicate with foreign governments and companies SK deals with and ask them to support Busan's bid.

Hyundai Motor's task force is led by Kim Dong-wook, vice president of Hyundai Motor.

Samsung Electronics' task force is led by Vice Chairman Chung Hyun-ho. The team is made up of employees with experience in overseas marketing.

“We will designate certain countries that each company can focus on,” said a spokesperson for KCCI. “The odds will be in our favor if the government and private sector promotes the bid as one team.”

The World Expo is sometimes compared to other major international events like the World Cup and Olympics. The host country will be decided in November 2023. If Busan wins, Korea will become the seventh country to host all three of these international events.

BY BAEK IL-HYUN [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]