National government taking the lead on Busan Expo bid

Economy

Published: 05 Jul. 2022, 18:15

National government taking the lead on Busan Expo bid

Busan Expo 2030 mascot Boogi the seagull stands in front of Busan Central Bus Terminal in Nopo-dong, Busan, on Monday. Ahead of the summer vacation season, the city has been increasing promotions for its bid to host the World Expo. Busan is competing against Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and Italy’s Rome. Russia’s Moscow withdrew from the bid in May while Odessa was suspended by the Bureau International des Expositions until September this year. The city to host the World Expo in 2030 will be decided in November 2023. [YONHAP]

The government is taking the lead in Busan's bid for the World Expo in 2030.

The new bidding committee will be under Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, while Chey Tae-won, SK Group Chairman and the head of Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will co-chair.

The current Bid Committee for World Expo 2030 Busan, currently chaired by Kim Young-ju, will be merged with the new government-led committee.

The new committee will be officially launched on July 8, with 30 members including Busan mayor Park Heong-joon.

Busan is among the three cities competing to host the World Expo. The other contenders are Rome and Riyadh.

Moscow voluntarily withdrew in May not long after the Bureau International des Expositions suspended it until September. Ukraine’s Odessa was also suspended.

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