SEOUL, South Korea — A series of last-minute events are underwriting Busan’s bid as the South Korean port city awaits a Tuesday vote to decide the host of the 2030 World Expo.
Representatives of the 168 member states that comprise the Bureau of International Expositions meet in Paris to cast their votes for the right to stage the prestigious event.
Rome is among the finalists, but many observers say the contest is down to Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city, and Riyadh, the bottomless-pocketed capital of Saudi Arabia. The intriguing clash pits an East Asian champion of democratic governance, industrial muscle and pop culture against an Islamic state that is spending hundreds of billions of dollars on attracting global events to broaden its image and economy beyond its vast oil riches.
The first world expo was staged in London in 1851. The expos are held every five years to introduce potential solutions to humankind’s challenges, and host cities can be a showcase to tens of millions of international visitors.
On Sunday, Busan made global news as the senior diplomats of China, Japan and South Korea huddled in the city for a trilateral economic cooperation summit.
Two days before the rare gathering, South Korea’s globe-trotting president, Yoon Suk Yeol, pitched Busan’s case directly to BIE executives in Paris. Mr. Yoon arrived in the French capital directly from a glittery visit to London, where King Charles III welcomed him on the first state visit of the monarch’s reign.
After campaigning for years to be the expo’s host city, Busan has received some last-minute help.
On Nov. 21, a group of 15 human rights organizations, including Democracy for the Arab World Now, Freedom House and the Human Rights Foundation, published an open letter to the BIE calling for a rejection of Riyadh’s bid. They cited Saudi Arabia’s “history of violating basic human rights and curbing freedoms.”
Among the troubling items on Saudi Arabia’s record: judicial abuses, including some of the highest execution rates on earth, a history of imprisoning political opponents and a lack of gender equality.
“We strongly believe that Saudi Arabia’s systematic practice of human rights violations does not align with the BIE and World Expo’s values,” the letter stated. “The kingdom cannot ‘find solutions to global challenges facing humanity,’ nor can it ‘favor progress’ when its domestic human rights record is ridden with its own challenges that are, on the contrary, regressive.”
BIE members across the Islamic world, which are united behind the Palestinian cause, are expected to support the Saudi bid. Riyadh has shown it is not shy about spending money to improve its international image.
The Saudi government has reportedly invested some $1 trillion in luring global events. It joined the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit in 2021 and won the right to host a world heavyweight boxing championship, the 2029 Asian Winter Games and soccer’s 2034 World Cup.
South Korea’s edge
South Korea has a strong record of hosting global events, including the 1988 Summer Olympics, the 2002 soccer World Cup and the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Seoul is not part of any global religious, political or economic bloc. It is pitching for 2030 on its potential as a role model for developing nations, given its successful embrace of industrialization and democratization in recent decades.
“Korea has dedicated itself to education, nurtured scientific advancements and blossomed culturally throughout its history, and these experiences can be realized anywhere in the world,” Mr. Yoon said in his Paris pitch. “Korea seeks to share its developmental experiences with the international community and take the lead in addressing challenges facing humanity, such as climate crises and Global South issues.”
Under the banner of “Transforming Our World, Navigating Toward a Better Future,” Busan’s proposed expo themes relate to climate change, digital transformation and inequality. In a nation where big business and the government have worked closely together, Korea Inc. has joined Seoul to push Busan’s prospects.
Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, which runs top telecommunications and chip-making companies, boasted about the nation’s values.
“Ours is a country steeped in rich tradition and core democratic principles, committed to improving the worldwide standard of living through forward thinking and technological advancement,” Mr. Chey told The Washington Times via email. He said South Korea wanted to pay back nations that helped it rise from the ashes of the Korean War to become a global economic force.
“As a hub of innovation, technology and a critical node in the global economy, we feel it is our responsibility to give back to an international community that many years ago helped us in our hour of need,” Mr. Chey stated.
South Korea’s “soft power,” including cultural exports of K-pop and the hit series “Squid Game,” could also make an impression in Paris.
“We are not used to having adoring fans from around the world,” Sohn Jie-ae, South Korea’s ambassador for cultural cooperation, told foreign reporters last week. “We shall see how strong it is when the votes are in, but I believe soft power is on South Korea’s side.”
Busan waits
Busan has its own reasons for seeking the right to host the expo. The city is home to 3.4 million people and has the country’s largest port, its most famous beach and East Asia’s leading film festival.
Long-held hopes for an underground tunnel to Japan have gone nowhere, and a plan for the city to unite administratively with its neighboring provinces has foundered. Though it is a regional maritime logistics hub, Busan lacks an airport with true global reach.
Above all, Busan resides perennially in Seoul’s shadow.
South Koreans jokingly call the capital the “Republic of Seoul.” Its vast urban sprawl and satellite cities house almost half the country’s 51 million-strong population. Despite more than a decade of decentralization efforts, Seoul remains the country’s leading hub for education, culture and industry. South Korea’s world-class technology and chip belt stretches south from Seoul.
Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon said the expo would have a “rebalancing” effect on the national geography.
Still, the city has obstacles.
Japan’s port city of Osaka will host the 2025 World Expo. Whether the BIE will want two East Asian coastal cities hosting back-to-back expos remains to be seen.
South Koreans united behind the bid to host the 1988 Summer Olympics to showcase their newly industrialized country. They displayed enormous passion for the 2002 World Cup, jointly hosted with national rival Japan, as they showed off their nascent pop culture. The 2018 Winter Olympics provided an opportunity to engage North Korea.
On the streets of Seoul, however, there is little sign of enthusiasm for World Expo 2030. It is unclear what national mission the expo would fulfill or whether it would justify the massive investment.
“The World Cup and the Olympics were sports events, which make it easier for the world to understand. Expos are a little different,” Ms. Sohn said. “But it is very good for any country to be exposed to the international community, so if Korea gets the expo, [it will be] positive momentum.”
• Andrew Salmon can be reached at asalmon@washingtontimes.com.
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