Pres. Yoon takes responsibility for S. Korea’s failure to host Expo

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol apologized on Wednesday for failing to host the World Expo 2030 in Busan, saying everything was his fault. The president tried to console the public as criticism for a wide voting gap between Busan and Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh was growing, and the local sentiment in Busan was becoming unfavorable.

The president held an unscheduled briefing session at his office in Yongsan-gu on Wednesday morning and announced a statement titled “Words for people on the expo.” The statement, which was broadcast live for about ten minutes, mentioned words, such as “fault” and “responsibility,” three times and the president repeatedly apologized for letting people down.

“Our expectations for each country’s stance based on our private and public interactions missed the mark,” said the president. “All of it was my fault. The public and private sectors tried their best. It is my fault as a president to be unsuccessful in securing the spot.” He added that the strategy for the balanced development of South Korea would be implemented as planned despite the failure to host the expo. “We will build infrastructure without any issues to ensure the smooth implementation of all economic and industrial activities with Busan as a hub in the southern region,” President Yoon said.

The presidential office put in private and public resources across the board based on the belief that holding the expo would be an important opportunity to drive up an approval rating in Gyeongsang Province. "It was only natural for the president to directly speak to the public as there was a change in the major national task," said a member of the presidential office.


Joo-Young Jeon aimhigh@donga.com