Jang Sung-min Advances 'Busan Expo' Bid Leveraging Francophone Summit Opportunity

Contact with leaders and representatives from 44 countries including France and international organizations
Explanation of President Yoon's state philosophy on 'inclusive diplomacy with global pivotal countries'
Strengthening Korea-Africa economic cooperation... Emphasizing mutual 'win-win'
"Africa and the 2030 Busan Expo bid share the same destiny"

Jang Sung-min, Director of Future Strategy Planning at the Presidential Office, attended the 18th Francophonie Summit held on the island of Djerba, Tunisia, from the 18th to the 20th as the chief representative of our delegation, and held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.
[Photo by Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] Jang Sung-min, Future Strategy Planning Officer of the Presidential Office, took the opportunity of attending the 18th Francophonie Summit as the chief representative to promote the bid for the 2030 Busan World Expo.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 21st that Officer Jang attended the 18th Francophonie Summit held for three days from the 18th to the 20th on the island of Djerba, Tunisia, as the chief representative of the Korean delegation, meeting with leaders from 12 countries among the participating nations, as well as representatives from 44 countries and international organizations.

Officer Jang held talks with President Kais Saied of Tunisia, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, and other leaders, discussing various topics.

The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) is an intergovernmental organization established in 1970 to promote cultural diversity worldwide through the French language, and to contribute to the advancement of democracy and the strengthening of human rights. As of this month, it consists of 54 full member states, 7 associate member states, and 27 observer member states, with South Korea joining as an observer member in 2016.

Through individual conversations with these leaders, Officer Jang emphasized the comprehensive diplomatic vision of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is pursuing a global pivotal state role, tailored to each country. He also conveyed the Korean government's intention to strengthen cooperation with relatively less recognized regions, especially Francophone Africa, to realize this vision. Additionally, he proposed seeking a better future together by addressing common challenges facing humanity, including ▲pursuing sustainable economic development ▲responding to climate change and natural disasters ▲developing renewable energy ▲advancing agriculture and fisheries ▲strengthening education.

Jang Sung-min, Director of Future Strategy Planning at the Presidential Office, attended the 18th Francophonie Summit held on the island of Djerba, Tunisia, from the 18th to the 20th as the chief representative of our delegation, and held talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
[Photo by Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

Furthermore, during exchanges with leaders of Francophone countries in Western regions such as France, Belgium, Canada, and Bulgaria, it was confirmed that these countries hope to expand economic cooperation with Korea, particularly in advanced fields. Officer Jang emphasized that the 'World Expo' has been actively utilized as a platform for sharing technological progress over the past century. He especially requested the leaders' support, stating that the Busan World Expo will once again seek a major transformation in world history.

In addition, Officer Jang met with leaders of Francophone African countries and highlighted that Korea, which was a country in a harsh environment due to the ravages of war half a century ago, has developed with international aid and has now grown into a donor country capable of providing assistance. In response, African leaders mentioned that the African continent is a young continent with more than half of its population being youth, and that Korea has established itself as an attractive economic development model for African youth struggling with unemployment issues.

Officer Jang Sung-min said, "For us, Africa is a treasure trove of ecosystems that can prevent global warming and a key region for fourth industrial revolution mineral resources including nickel, possessing an influence that cannot be ignored in the international community," adding, "Strengthening Korea-Africa economic cooperation as a core activity of comprehensive diplomacy for a global pivotal state will be a 'win-win' for both sides."

He further emphasized, "The bid for the 2030 Busan Expo is a global event directly linked to a grand national future strategy that will change the destiny of the Republic of Korea," and "The vast energy of the African continent is itself a potential linked to the future of our economy, and the bid for the Africa continent and the Busan Expo share the same destiny."

Meanwhile, Officer Jang plans to continue efforts to attract the 2030 Busan World Expo through all-out activities such as individual visits to BIE (Bureau International des Expositions) member countries and utilizing various international events.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.