Yoon Meets San Marino Captains Regent... 9 Meetings in 7 Hours, Intense Schedule (Summary)

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"Expanding Economic Cooperation with Countries Through Comprehensive Diplomacy After Expo"

President Yoon Suk-yeol has launched a final all-out effort just over two months before the selection of the host city for the 2030 World Expo. Arriving in New York, USA, on the 18th (local time) for a 4-night, 6-day official schedule, President Yoon plans to meet with leaders from over 40 countries to request support for hosting the Expo. The presidential office expects President Yoon’s Expo diplomacy to serve as a foundation for economic cooperation between countries.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is shaking hands with Captain Regent Scarano (left) and Captain Regent Tonini (center) during the Korea-San Marino bilateral meeting held in New York on the 18th (local time), taking a commemorative photo.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the presidential office, within seven hours of arriving in New York, President Yoon held a grueling schedule meeting with leaders from a total of nine countries: Sri Lanka, San Marino, Burundi, Czech Republic, Denmark, Montenegro, Turkmenistan, Saint Lucia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. During these meetings, President Yoon emphasized, "Busan is the world’s second-largest transshipment port and a gateway connecting the Eurasian continent and the Pacific Ocean," adding, "The Busan Expo will be the optimal platform to promote the cultures, histories, resources, and products of participating countries worldwide using the world’s best digital technology."

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is visiting the United States to attend the 78th United Nations General Assembly, is holding a Korea-Czech summit with Czech President Petr Pavel in New York on the 18th (local time).
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The host city for the 2030 Expo will be decided at the International Bureau of Expositions (BIE) General Assembly on November 28. After candidates including Busan, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, and Rome in Italy complete their fifth round of competitive presentations (PT), the decision will be made by secret ballot among 179 member countries. Currently, Busan and Riyadh are considered the final contenders. Riyadh is regarded as the most likely candidate, especially since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the key decision-maker, is personally leading a global campaign to secure the Expo. However, the presidential office is aiming for a last-minute turnaround. If a runoff vote occurs, Busan could face Riyadh one-on-one, and since the vote is a secret ballot, it may be possible to sway countries that initially supported Riyadh.

The presidential office plans to actively utilize the UN General Assembly session, the largest multilateral diplomatic stage and a high-level diplomatic gathering, to promote the Expo bid. President Yoon also considers face-to-face contact with top leaders of other countries the most effective diplomatic tool.

On the first day of his schedule in New York, President Yoon met with the Captains Regent of San Marino, a country with a population of only about 33,000. San Marino is a small landlocked country within Italy but holds voting rights as a BIE member country for the Expo host city selection. The Captains Regent President Yoon met are symbolic heads of state who inherit the traditions of the ancient Roman Republic.

The president’s all-out effort to secure the Expo is driven by the enormous economic benefits. With the domestic economy unstable and exports sluggish, the government is seeking a strong momentum to revitalize the economy. The economic value of the Expo, as assessed by industry, is estimated at 60 trillion won, with an expected creation of about 500,000 jobs.

The presidential office expects President Yoon’s Expo diplomacy to serve as a foundation for economic cooperation with various countries in the medium to long term. Since the leaders exchanged positions on key issues during their meetings, it will be easier to expand cooperation between ministries and companies later. Accordingly, President Yoon conducted sales diplomacy focused on customized economic cooperation plans in tourism, agriculture, health, and green growth through a series of meetings with leaders from San Marino, Sri Lanka, Burundi, Czech Republic, Denmark, and others.

The summit with Burundi, a landlocked country in Central Africa, was the first of its kind. President Yoon explained Korea’s efforts to expand economic cooperation with Africa to Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye and requested expanded cooperation in agriculture and health sectors between the two countries. During the Korea-Czech summit with President Petr Pavel, President Yoon requested interest in allowing Korean companies to participate in the Dukovany new nuclear power plant project. Currently, Korean companies including Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power have submitted bids for the Dukovany new nuclear power plant project. President Yoon proposed seeking cooperation between the two countries in areas prioritized by the Czech Republic, such as hydrogen economy development and high-speed railway construction.

In the summit with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, President Yoon discussed expanding green cooperation in areas such as offshore wind power, eco-friendly ships, and sustainable agriculture. Denmark is a Nordic ally that dispatched medical support teams during the Korean War. Additionally, with President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan, discussions focused on the Arkadaq new city construction project and smart transportation system cooperation, while with Prime Minister Philip Joseph Pierre of Saint Lucia, the focus was on climate change and clean energy transition. A presidential office official said, "Although meetings between leaders are brief, they involve dense and meaningful conversations," adding, "Since these meetings provide opportunities to clearly convey the government’s positions not only on the economy but also on security, the president’s comprehensive bilateral diplomacy will continue even after the Expo."

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is visiting the United States to attend the 78th United Nations General Assembly, is shaking hands with ?eljko Kom?i?, President of Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the South Korea-Bosnia and Herzegovina summit held in New York on the 18th (local time).
[Photo by Yonhap News]

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