Busan has everything required to host 2030 Expo: BIE delegation chief

Busan has everything required to host 2030 Expo: BIE delegation chief
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From left, Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Secretary General Dimitri Kerkentzes, BIE Administration and Budget Committee President Patrick Specht, Busan World Expo Bidding Committee Secretary-General Yoon Sang-jick and Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon pose after a press conference at Signiel Busan in Busan, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
From left, Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) Secretary General Dimitri Kerkentzes, BIE Administration and Budget Committee President Patrick Specht, Busan World Expo Bidding Committee Secretary-General Yoon Sang-jick and Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon pose after a press conference at Signiel Busan in Busan, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Delegates especially impressed by enthusiasm shown by citizens

By Jung Min-ho

BUSAN ― Representatives of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) affirmed Busan's readiness to host the 2030 World Expo, as they concluded their inquiry mission, Thursday, to evaluate the Korean port city's ability to host the global event.

Speaking at a press conference, delegates of the World Expo organizing body said they were especially impressed by and grateful for the enthusiasm demonstrated by citizens on the streets.

"Busan has everything that it takes to host the World Expo," Patrick Specht, president of the BIE Administration and Budget Committee, said. "In terms of hospitality, Busan is excellent."

During their five-day inspection that started Sunday, the delegates met with President Yoon Suk Yeol, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, ministers, lawmakers, businesspeople and members of civic groups, who showed their shared passion for the world fair.

To Dimitri Kerkentzes, the secretary-general of the BIE, the public's "incredible warmth" was the most memorable part, saying he has "never seen such enthusiasm" in any other country.

However, the delegates declined to comment when asked about the city's viability compared to that of Saudi Arabia's Riyadh, saying that they would evaluate each candidate city according to its own merits only. Supported by China, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Cuba, Belarus and a handful of other countries, the Middle Eastern city has so far been regarded as the strongest contender in the competition over Ukraine's Odesa, Italy's Rome and Busan.

In recent months, Busan Expo project officials have been stepping up their efforts to win the hearts of developing countries by offering long-term support for those seeking to emulate Korea's economic success. The Busan Initiatives aim to provide training and firsthand know-how rather than, say, financial aid for one-time construction projects.

Kerkentzes praised their efforts, saying the initiatives are in line with the spirit of the World Expo.

"Expos are not just six-month events. It's the whole process leading up to the event, and perhaps even more," Kerkentzes said. "Korea does not see this as a six-month event ... And I think that this is one of the important points that sometimes we forget about Expos."