▲ South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers remarks during a dinner for delegates from member states of the Bureau International des Expositions at a hotel in Paris on Nov. 23, 2023. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

Yoon-BIE delegates

Yoon says Busan Expo will be place of harmony, solidarity

By Lee Haye-ah

PARIS, Nov. 24 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol said Friday that South Korea will make the 2030 World Expo a place of harmony and solidarity where people can discuss a vision for a better future if it wins its bid to host the event in its southeastern city of Busan.

Yoon made the remark during a luncheon for delegates to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the body in charge of overseeing the World Expo, four days before the 182 BIE member states select the host city during a general assembly in Paris.

Busan is in a three-way competition against Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Rome, Italy.

In welcoming remarks, Yoon outlined the values the Busan Expo will promote and South Korea's plans to contribute responsibly to the international community.

"The Republic of Korea aims to host the 2030 Busan Expo and solve the challenges faced by humanity, including the development gap, the climate gap and the digital gap that I mentioned today, together with the international community," he said during the luncheon at a hotel in Paris.

"The Busan Expo will be a place of harmony and solidarity, where anyone in the world can participate and introduce their own culture and skills, and discuss a vision for a better future," he said.

Yoon later met individually with the delegates in attendance to expressed South Korea's strong commitment to hosting the World Expo and realizing its vision.

The luncheon was organized in part to raise awareness of South Korea's efforts to meet the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, which include eliminating poverty, ensuring affordable and clean energy, and reducing inequalities.

It was co-hosted by the South Korean mission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Korea International Cooperation Agency, and featured presentations by the Global Green Growth Institute and SK ecoplant on ways to strengthen partnerships for a sustainable future.

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