SEOUL, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo departed for Paris on Sunday to rally international support for South Korea’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo in its southern port city of Busan.
During his first overseas trip since taking office last month, Han plans to attend a general assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) set to take place on Monday and Tuesday. BIE is an intergovernmental body in charge of overseeing World Expos.
On Tuesday, Han is set to deliver a presentation on South Korea’s bid to host the international event under the main theme of “Transforming Our World, Navigating Toward a Better Future,” according to his aides.
On the margins of the assembly, Han is expected to meet representatives of BIE member countries to ask for their support.
He will be accompanied by SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, who doubles as the chief of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon.
The World Expo is one of the largest international festivals besides the World Cup and the Olympics. Hosting an expo is estimated to create economic effects worth 61 trillion won (US$47.1 billion), according to the South Korean government.
Source: Yonhap News Agency