Chey Tae-won heads to Paris to back Korea’s bid for 2030 Expo in Busan

The Korean business community is rolling up sleeves en mass to attract the 2030 World Expo to the port city of Busan. Major conglomerates have formed teams exclusively for supporting Korea’s bid and started communications with countries, while business leaders including Chey Tae-won, chair of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will be departing for overseas tours to seek support.

According to the chamber on Friday, Chairman Chey will visit Paris, France for four days from Sunday and start activities in earnest to bring the 2030 exposition to Busan. It is his first effort in support of the bid since his inauguration as private sector committee chair of the Busan World Expo Bid Committee.

Chey will attend the 170th general assembly of the Bureau international des expositions (BIE), which will take place on June 21 and 22, and extend his support for Korea’s second competitive presentation. It will be the first in-person competitive presentation aimed at attracting the 2030 event to Busan after the first presentation took place virtually in December last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chey will also meet with the BIE Secretary General and ambassadors of countries from around the world as part of his efforts to drum up support. “In addition to chair of the private sector committee, Chairman Chey will assume co-chairmanship with Prime Minister Han Deok-soo for the government committee, which will be launched next month,” KCCI said.

Major companies that are participating in the private sector committee for the Busan Bid Committee have formed teams exclusively for supporting the bid, and started activities in earnest. The committee involves 11 companies including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, SK, LG, Lotte, Posco, Hanwha, GS, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Shinsegae, and CJ, as well as 72 chambers of commerce across the nation, and the Overseas Korean Business Association.


Do-Young Kwak now@donga.com