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| President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers a speech during South Korea's presentation for Busan's bid to host the World Expo 2030 at the general assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Paris, Tuesday (local time). Joint Press Corps |
President pledges 'best World Expo of all time' at BIE assembly
By Nam Hyun-woo
President Yoon Suk Yeol said, Tuesday, that the Busan World Expo will be "a solutions platform for humanity's crisis" during his presentation seeking global support for the South Korean port city's bid to host the event in 2030.
Yoon attended the 172nd general assembly of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the global body in charge of overseeing the World Expo, in Paris. The general assembly was the venue of the fourth presentation by the candidate cities before the selection in November of the host city of the World Expo 2030.
South Korea was the second country to present its bid and the president took the floor as the final speaker of the presentation. Saudi Arabia and Rome also delivered presentations to host the World Expo in 2030.
During his presentation, Yoon noted that the world is facing new uncertainties and complex challenges, such as the digital divide, economic inequality, climate change and health and food crises.
"To address humanity's urgent challenges, we must act now," Yoon said in his speech delivered in English. "The World Expo Busan will be a solutions platform addressing humanity's complex and urgent challenges."
Yoon stressed that the Busan Expo will be a venue of new business opportunities for participating countries, powered by South Korea's digital technology. He added that the event will also offer an opportunity to share South Korea's development experiences with the international community, citing the country's commitment to provide "the largest-ever assistance package" for BIE member states.
"(South) Korea wishes to give back to the international community what it has received thus far," Yoon said. "Through the Busan Initiative, (South) Korea will share its development experiences with the international community."
The president said South Korea is a qualified candidate, citing its experience of hosting the 1988 Summer Olympic Games, the 2002 World Cup and the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, and promised that the country will "make the best World Expo of all time."
Along with Yoon, rapper Psy, Expo site chief architect Chin Yang-kyo and education tech company Enuma CEO Lee Soo-inn gave supporting statements for Busan's Expo bid.
Psy underscored Busan's aim to showcase, through the Expo, the transformative power of culture and technology. Chin introduced the Expo site's key themes of eco-friendly and carbon-neutral space. Lee stressed global unity to tackle common challenges and Busan's intention to serve as a venue for those debates.
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| President Yoon Suk Yeol shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron after a joint press conference at Elysee Palace in Paris, Tuesday (local time). AP-Yonhap |
Yoon-Macron summit
Before the presentation, Yoon held a summit with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and agreed to strengthen cooperation in pursuing their respective Indo-Pacific strategies and dealing with North Korea's provocations.
"As a responsible country, South Korea seeks to make its contribution to building a free, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific, and during this process we will closely cooperate with France, which is leading Europe's Indo-Pacific strategy," Yoon said during a press announcement before their summit.
"North Korea's nuclear and missile threats pose challenges, not only to the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, but also to the entire global peace. South Korea, as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, will closely cooperate with France, a permanent member, to respond to North Korea's illegal provocations, which are violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions."
Earlier this month, South Korea was elected as a non-permanent member of the Security Council and will serve its two-year term from next year.
"South Korea can expect France's support with resolute responses against North Korea's nuclear crisis based on the joint promises of international laws, in order to achieve a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the North," Macron said through an interpreter.
The leaders also pledged strong support for Ukraine.
"President Macron has been taking a leading role in supporting Ukraine than any other European leader," Yoon said. "South Korea will closely cooperate with France and other international community members to extend proactive support for peace and recovery of Ukraine."
During the summit, the leaders shared their ideas on enhancing the two countries' cooperation on advanced technologies for aerospace and other strategic industries and stable supply chains.
"With the world facing uncertainties and comprehensive crises, the two countries' partnerships should expand to advanced technologies and strategic future industries," Yoon said.
Macron also noted that the two sides have huge potentials for cooperation in various fields, such as energy, batteries, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, nuclear power and space.
"France is South Korea's key European partner whose partnership spans aviation, nuclear power, high-speed trains, satellites and others," said an official at the presidential office. "Given the two sides' technological prowess in those fields, technological partnerships between the two countries will offer mutual benefits."
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