Steam engines, elevators, telephones, light bulbs, automobiles, airplanes, TVs, X-rays, ice cream, electronic calculators, and the Eiffel Tower have one thing in common. All these innovative human inventions were first introduced to the world through World Expos.

The World Expo, which was first held in London, England in 1851, has established itself as an exhibition that represents the development of human civilization as well as a global gathering of nations for finding solutions to pressing challenges facing the world. Throughout its 170-year history, it has not only accelerated the growth of host countries and cities, but also acted as a catalyst for industrial development. Held for six months every five years, the World Expo is one of the world’s three mega international events along with the World Cup and the Olympics, and its economic effect is much higher than these events.

Korea and expos

At present, Korea is making all-out efforts to host the World Expo in Busan, its second largest city, in 2030. It began participating in the World Expo in 1893, and have already successfully hosted two Specialized Expos – i.e. smaller exhibitions that occur between two World Expos – in Daejeon and Yeosu in 1993 and 2012, respectively.

If Korea wins the bid to host the 2030 World Expo, it will become the seventh country in the world to have hosted all three mega international events joining France, the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, and Italy.

The Busan World Expo is expected to have a huge impact on Korea’s economy, society and culture. It is projected to generate economic effects worth KRW 61 trillion – i.e. KRW 43 trillion in production inducement and KRW 18 trillion in added value – and create 500,000 jobs. The 43 trillion won worth of production inducement is four times that generated by the 2002 World Cup and two times that of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

Busan’s ambitions

Located in the southeastern tip of Korea, Busan is the city that can best show the past, present and future of Korea. It embraced refugees during the Korean War, led industrialization from the ruins of the war, and became the transportation and logistics hub in Northeast Asia, leading Korea’s rapid economic growth. With its beautiful beaches, rich cultural heritage, and open and inclusive culture, Busan is now attracting international events and visitors from all across the globe.

Under the theme of “Transforming Our World, Navigating Toward a Better Future,” the World Expo in Busan aims to serve as a platform to develop ways to achieve sustainable living, harness advanced technologies for the good of humanity, and address inequality among and within nations.

It will showcase future-leading technologies such as AI, 6G, smart airports and ports, and promote cooperation for finding effective solutions to pressing issues facing the world today and putting them to action.

Banding together for the cause

With the World Expo being promoted as a national project in Korea, the government and the business world are working as one team to win the bid. Korea’s top conglomerates, including SK, Samsung, Hyundai Motor Company, LG and Lotte, are extending full support by leveraging their experience, knowledge, and global networks. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, who doubles as Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is serving as the private sector chair of the World Expo 2030 Busan Bid Committee. The SK Group has launched the ‘World Expo Task Force (WE-TF)’ to promote Busan’s bid to host the World Expo 2030.

The ICT arm of SK Group, SKT, which is leading the future in the field of telecommunications and AI, is contributing to the cause by displaying Korea’s technological prowess and strong drive for innovation.

In particular, together with Hanwha Systems, Korea Airports Corporation, and T Map Mobility, SKT will be demonstrating how Korea is realizing the future of mobility with urban air mobility (UAM) at diverse upcoming events and exhibitions – including on-site inspection by the Organization for International Expositions (BIE) and the World Climate Industry EXPO – to be held prior to the announcement of the bid winner in late 2023. By doing so, the companies will highlight Busan’s vision of solving environmental and social problems through the use of advanced technologies.

Furthermore, if Busan hosts the 2030 World Expo, they plan to develop and operate special UAM routes connecting major areas of Busan to the World Expo site. Through this new environmentally-friendly means of mobility, Busan will provide visitors with an elevated level of experience and convenience, and lead the path towards a more sustainable future.