| Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Administration and Budget Committee President Patrick Specht, right, BIE enquiry mission members and Korean government officials take a guided tour of Eulsukdo Island Ecology Park in Busan, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
Korea will be able to assure the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) delegation of the country's capability and enthusiasm to host the World Expo 2030 in Busan, as underpinned by four thorough presentations on the plan's viability, significance and financing, according to the industry ministry, Tuesday. BIE is an intergovernmental organization in charge of overseeing and regulating World Expos. Its eight-member delegation is in Korea this week to evaluate Busan's Expo bid.
Of the four presentations and Q&A sessions scheduled during their stay, the first was delivered, Monday, by Korea's Expo bid promotion committee Secretary-General Yoon Sang-jik and Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun.
The theme of Monday's presentation was “political unity,” one of four sub-themes prepared by Korea. The remaining three are “theme,” “site” and “people and money.”
The trade minister gave a detailed overview of Busan and the city's North Port, the proposed venue for the international event. Also illustrated were the level of preparation by the city's residents and the ways in which years of public-private collective efforts tie in with political unity.
| Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Administration and Budget Committee President Patrick Specht, front right, BIE enquiry mission members and Korean government officials take a guided tour of Eulsukdo Island Ecology Park in Busan, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
The secretary-general elaborated further on the country's plan to expand from the experience of hosting the mega-event to elevate its standing and help developing peers in the international community.
The delegates inquired about the means of financing, traffic and transport conditions as part of venue accessibility issues, as well as specifics about how developing nations and BIE members seeking to attend the global event would be helped.
Yoon told the mission that Korea's decades of experience with stable, robust economic growth would be demonstrated again with the successful hosting of the international event, which Korea is confident to take on, according to the bid committee.
| Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Administration and Budget Committee President Patrick Specht, third from right, and National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, third from left, hold a copy of Korea's pledge to the BIE for the World Expo 2030 at the National Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, Monday. Korea Times |
The delegation arrived in Busan, where the eight members were given the second presentation at the Eulsukdo Island Ecology Park, prepared by political analyst Kim Ji-yoon. The director of the Center for Public Opinion and Quantitative Studies at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies expounded on how Busan's bid can help tackle climate change and socioeconomic polarization for the ultimate goal of sustainable growth. The 90-minute presentation was followed by a guided tour of the green park and a dinner with Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon.
The eight members earlier on Monday met with President Yoon Suk Yeol and Korea's top policymakers, lawmakers, business leaders and citizens in Seoul.
The delegation is led by BIE Administration and Budget Committee President Patrick Specht. It also includes BIE Secretary-General Dimitri S. Kerkentzes; Kevin Isaac, high commissioner of St. Kitts and Nevis to the United Kingdom; Manuel Salchli of Switzerland; and Ferdinand Nagy of Romania.
The eight-member delegation will stay in Korea until Friday to assess whether the country is ready and able to host the high-profile six-month international event.
They will depart for Paris from Incheon International Airport on Friday.