The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Hybe's new boy group Boynextdoor aims to be 'one and only' presence in K-pop

  • 3

    Brave Girls to restart activities under new name

  • 5

    Rapper Mino attends sister's wedding in U.S. amid military service

  • 7

    Running convenience stores becomes popular among people in 20s, 30s

  • 9

    Actors' off-screen chemistry enthralls fans

  • 11

    Sluggish exports behind weak Korean won

  • 13

    Naver suffers shrinking online search market share

  • 15

    Doctors, pharmacists to receive 30% bonus for offering telemedicine service

  • 17

    'Elemental' director on bringing his personal story of immigration to cinema

  • 19

    BTS' J-Hope to work as drill instructor at Army boot camp: sources

  • 2

    Seoul city erroneously sends emergency alert after NK launch

  • 4

    NK's attempt to launch 1st spy satellite fails after 'abnormal' flight: S. Korean military

  • 6

    Korea to ease immigration rules to attract more medical tourists

  • 8

    Big businesses face growing union pressure to extend retirement age

  • 10

    Seoul city takes flak for emergency text alert on NK's rocket launch

  • 12

    Anti-corruption watchdog set to investigate crypto assets of lawmakers

  • 14

    Seoul resident clashes with authorities for raising dogs to nab 'North Korean spies'

  • 16

    Pyongyang may have delayed spy satellite launch due to technical issues

  • 18

    NATIONALKorea likely to face pressure over imports of Fukushima seafood

  • 20

    Directors thrive on streaming platforms amid sluggish film industry

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Thu, June 1, 2023 | 05:41
Society
Expo supporters crowd Busan Station to promote city's hosting bid
Posted : 2023-04-02 09:02
Updated : 2023-04-03 07:36
Ko Dong-hwan
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Participants in a walkathon crowd the Eurasian Platform in front of Busan Station, Saturday. They left the station to walk to a recently completed seaside park at the proposed Expo venue site in Busan's North Port. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Participants in a walkathon crowd the Eurasian Platform in front of Busan Station, Saturday. They left the station to walk to a recently completed seaside park at the proposed Expo venue site in Busan's North Port. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Walkathon, flea market spur heat ahead of BIE's Korea visit

By Ko Dong-hwan

BUSAN ― Busan Station was crowded for hours Saturday as hundreds of cheerful participants turned up for a series of events arranged to celebrate and promote Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030. It was a day before an Enquiry Mission from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Paris was due to arrive in Seoul for a weeklong visit to survey the port city's feasibility for hosting the event.

The day kicked off in the morning when parents and children, young couples and seniors flocked to the Eurasia Platform, a public square in front of the station. They joined a walkathon that led from the station's second-floor departure platform to a newly constructed outside skywalk, which led the way to toward a seaside park at Busan's North Port. The port is currently undergoing redevelopment to become the venue for the Expo. With the park already complete, the redevelopment project still has years of work ahead ― erecting Busan Opera House and buildings for business travelers as well as transforming the old port infrastructure into cultural venues and exhibition halls. The project is changing the port's old image of bustling with fishing and trading vessels into that of a more attractive public space for visitors and tourists.

Participants in a walkathon crowd the Eurasian Platform in front of Busan Station, Saturday. They left the station to walk to a recently completed seaside park at the proposed Expo venue site in Busan's North Port. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Musicians perform around Busan Station, Saturday, as part of a series of events to raise support for the city's bid to host the World Expo 2030. Next to the stage is a pavilion with a sign saying "Stop Climate Change" where visitors step on an electronic carpet or ride a spinning machine to generate power to recharge their smartphones or play a VR game. Korea Times photo by Ko Dong-hwan

Korea ready for World Expo 2030
Korea ready for World Expo 2030
2023-04-02 16:34  |  Companies

The walkathon was jointly hosted by Busan's Dong District Office and the district's sports association. A large banner on the backdrop of a stage read "Walk the History of Miracle."

Near the starting point of the walkathon, there was a flea market set up to draw the attention of passersby. Booths run by 34 local groups comprised of social companies, cooperatives and startups sold fashion items, traditional Korean snacks, handicrafts, coffee, deserts and zero-waste products. Some booths offered visitors body painting while others had prize-winning roulette and other games designed to raise awareness about the World Expo 2030.

"Busan is often overshadowed by Seoul when it comes to global recognition but I think Busan has its own merits and strengths and deserves to host the World Expo," a high school student volunteering at the flea market told The Korea Times. "I hope the BIE mission comes here and sees only the good things and leaves with a good impression."

Later in the afternoon, another large gathering was hosted at the square for an event jointly organized by the city's volunteer firefighters and official Expo supporters' club. Hundreds of firefighters each wearing bright orange utility vests marked "119 Busan Emergency Department" packed the square in front of a stage bearing a large poster that read "Let's bring it home! Expo!!"

Participants in a walkathon crowd the Eurasian Platform in front of Busan Station, Saturday. They left the station to walk to a recently completed seaside park at the proposed Expo venue site in Busan's North Port. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
Volunteer firefighters in Busan hold a moment of silence in front of the Korean national flag on a giant TV screen at the Eurasian Platform in front of Busan Station, Saturday. Korea Times photo by Ko Dong-hwan

"Our objective is to imprint the passion of Busan citizens into the hearts of the BIE mission," Kim Mi-ae, vice president of the volunteers' association, said from the stage. "Our objective is to contribute to the efforts to impress the BIE mission with our city's heated desire to host the World Expo 2030."

"Busan has already started etching its name in the heads of people around the world as we have been promoting our bid to host the Expo," Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon said in a video message during the gathering. "You already know why Busan should host the Expo. Korea is now the world's 10th-biggest economy but hosting the World Expo will push the country further into the global top seven, not to mention Busan becoming a global hub city."

Ruling People Power Party Chairman Kim Gi-hyeon, Daejeon Mayor Lee Jang-woo, Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok and Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong also sent congratulatory video remarks to the gathering.

"Incheon, together with Busan, are Korea's representative maritime cities," the mayor of Incheon said. "We sometimes cooperate but sometimes we compete against each other as well. But all in all, I wish we can lead the country's future together by Busan hosting the Expo."



Emailaoshima11@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Seoul city takes flak for emergency text alert on NK's rocket launchSeoul city takes flak for emergency text alert on NK's rocket launch
2Rude cabbies in Seoul face stricter penaltiesRude cabbies in Seoul face stricter penalties
3[INTERVIEW] Asia expected to be key driver of ESG growth: Deloitte ESG Partner INTERVIEWAsia expected to be key driver of ESG growth: Deloitte ESG Partner
4North Korea's spy satellite launch fails as rocket falls into sea North Korea's spy satellite launch fails as rocket falls into sea
5Retailers adopt generative AI to offer personalized products, services Retailers adopt generative AI to offer personalized products, services
6Committee calls for lowering requirements for foreigners to teach English online Committee calls for lowering requirements for foreigners to teach English online
7Chinese account for 54% of foreign-owned homes in Korea Chinese account for 54% of foreign-owned homes in Korea
8AMCHAM stresses S. Korea-US ties after NK fires 'space launch vehicle' AMCHAM stresses S. Korea-US ties after NK fires 'space launch vehicle'
9LS chairman appears in YouTube commercial LS chairman appears in YouTube commercial
10Samsung Sharing Kiosk raises $174,000 to help children in need Samsung Sharing Kiosk raises $174,000 to help children in need
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] Lee Jun-hyuk unrecognizable in 'The Roundup: No Way Out' INTERVIEWLee Jun-hyuk unrecognizable in 'The Roundup: No Way Out'
2'Elemental' director on bringing his personal story of immigration to cinema 'Elemental' director on bringing his personal story of immigration to cinema
3SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal' SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal'
4ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood' ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood'
5'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' raises bar with epic battle scenes 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' raises bar with epic battle scenes
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group