Chairman Choi Tae-won of the Private Attraction Committee Hosts Luncheon Welcoming 'Expo Inspection Team' with Leading Business Leaders
by Jeong Donghoon
Published 03 Apr.2023 12:00(KST)
Updated 03 Apr.2023 17:05(KST)
The Private Committee Supporting the Bid for the 2030 Busan World Expo held a welcome luncheon for the World Expo Organization (BIE) inspection team on the 3rd at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul.
This luncheon was arranged to convey the firm determination of the Korean business community regarding the Busan World Expo bid to the inspection team and to build consensus on the purpose and vision of the bid.
Attending the luncheon were business leaders including Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI); Park Seung-hee, President of Samsung Electronics; Lee Hyung-hee, Chairman of the SK Communications Committee; Kim Dong-wook, Vice President of Hyundai Motor Company; Ha Beom-jong, President of LG; Jung Tak, Vice Chairman of POSCO International; Woo Moo-hyun, President of GS Engineering & Construction; Ga Sam-hyun, Vice Chairman of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries; Kang Hee-seok, President of E-Mart; Woo Ki-hong, President of Korean Air; Woo Tae-hee, Executive Vice Chairman of KCCI; as well as Choi Jae-cheol, Ambassador to France; Yoon Sang-jik, Secretary General of the Bid Committee; and about 20 others including the BIE inspection team.
The inspection team consists of eight members including Patrick Specht, Head of the Inspection Team; Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, Secretary General of BIE; representatives from member countries (Saint Kitts and Nevis, Switzerland, Romania); and support staff from the Secretariat. During their visit from the 2nd to the 7th of this month, they plan to focus on 14 key areas including reasons and themes for hosting the Busan World Expo, site and transportation infrastructure, accommodation plans, financial plans, and the number of exhibitors and visitors.
The BIE inspection team will conduct an in-depth evaluation of the candidate country's bidding capabilities, level of preparation, and national interest, and prepare a report. The report containing the on-site inspection evaluation will be distributed to 171 member countries at the BIE General Assembly in June. Many countries decide their support based on this report, so how much the inspection team is impressed greatly influences the bid. In fact, both Dubai and Osaka, which previously succeeded in hosting the Expo, were evaluated as having demonstrated a firm commitment to hosting through impressive program preparations.
Before the luncheon, an event by the KCCI Global Supporters welcoming the inspection team attracted attention. The supporters, consisting of about 20 people from 10 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy, gathered to cheer for the Busan hosting of the global festival, the Expo.
They engaged with the inspection team members by giving high-fives and taking selfies, and presented specially made caricatures, bringing smiles to the team members. At the luncheon venue, a promotional video introducing ‘WAVE,’ a solution platform for solving common challenges of all humanity, was shown. Following this, the supporters demonstrated WAVE’s strengths through a dance challenge.
The inspection team was guided by ‘Spot,’ a quadruped robot from Boston Dynamics. Spot, which greeted the team outdoors, led them to the luncheon venue. Hyundai Motor Company, responsible for operating Spot, is known to have actively responded to KCCI’s ideas to ensure a successful visit by the inspection team.
The Private Bid Committee stated, "Busan is the optimal city to realize the theme as it represents South Korea in various fields such as environment, future technology, development, and welfare," adding, "During the inspection team’s stay in Korea, they will be able to fully confirm the efforts of our government and companies and the passion of the entire nation for hosting the Expo."
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