South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (third from right) and first lady Kim Keon Hee (fourth from right) toast during South Korea's National Day reception at the Brongniart Palace in Paris, Nov. 24, 2023. (Yonhap)
President Yoon Suk Yeol said Friday that South Korea plans to return the favor it received from the international community during its economic development by hosting the 2030 World Expo in its southeastern city of Busan.
Yoon made the remark during a National Day reception hosted by the South Korean Embassy in Paris, which was attended by around 500 people, including delegates to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the body in charge of overseeing the World Expo.
The 182 BIE member states are set to select the host city for the 2030 World Expo during a general assembly in Paris next Tuesday.
Busan is in competition with Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Rome, Italy.
"By hosting the 2030 World Expo in Busan, an international port city and gateway connecting the Eurasian continent and the Pacific Ocean, the Republic of Korea intends to return the help it received from the international community," Yoon said, noting it was Busan where French troops landed in November 1950 to defend South Korea's freedom during the 1950-53 Korean War.
"Reducing the gap between nations, and building a foundation for the sustainable prosperity of humanity are the spirit and vision of the Busan Expo," he said.
Yoon asked the attendees for their interest and support so that the Busan Expo can become a platform for harmony and solidarity for future generations.
"We will do our best to make the Busan World Expo the most innovative and inclusive Expo," he said.
Earlier in the day, Yoon attended a luncheon for BIE delegates.
"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 ... 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 express 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 UN 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. (Yonhap)
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