South Korea seeks to host World Expo 2030 in Busan

South Korea's bid to host the World Expo 2030 Busan was confirmed as a national project in May 2019.

Following the formation of a government retention support committee chaired by the Prime Minister, a private attraction committee involving major conglomerates and local figures was also formed.

Five countries including Korea (Busan), Russia (Moscow), Italy (Roma), Saudi Arabia (Riyad), and Ukraine (Odessa) have applied to host the World Expo 2030.

The choice of host city for the expo is due to be made in 2023. In order to apply to become the host city, the Bid Committee will select an expo theme that people around the world can identify with.

The final decision of the host country will be made by voting member countries (currently 170 countries, including Kenya) at the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE)  General Assembly scheduled to be held in June 2023.

The theme of the 2030 Busan World Expo is Transforming our world, Navigating Tower a better future. It is based on the perception that a major change is needed to solve problems facing mankind, such as the spread of COVID-19, climate, and environmental crisis.

Busan Mayor Park Hyung-joon argued that he is trying to present a vision for a major transformation based on his firm vision for the decarbon economy and his strengths in the high-tech sector.

The World Expo is recognized as one of the three major international events, along with the Olympics and the World Cup. If Korea is able to hold this International Registered Exhibition, it will become the 7th country in the world to host all three of these major international events.

According to the Bid Committee, the World Expo 2030 will put particular emphasis on displaying new future technologies, such as artificial intelligence, 6G, and smart airports and ports, to show Korea’s status as a leading “smart country” to the world. 

"It will be an occasion to achieve new heights in our economy, society, and culture at large," says Young-ju Kim, Chairman of the Bid Committee for World Expo 2030 Busan. 

"We will diligently prepare a bid plan, while doing our best to mobilize all our national capacity to make sure we can successfully become the host city," adds Young-ju Kim.

The World Expo is scheduled to take place from May to October 2030 with over 32 million expected to attend.

South Korea has already hosted the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics, the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, and the 2002 World Cup soccer tournament, and held the Daejeon Recognized Exhibition in 1993 and the Yeosu Recognized Exhibition in 2012. 

The registered expo is Busan's first application for attraction in Korea. Korea has already successfully hosted the world's largest international event, and based on this experience, it is fully qualified to successfully host the Busan Registered Expo.

Dubai (UAE) is the latest to host the World Expo under the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” between 1 October 2021 and 31 March 2022.

The following one will take place in Osaka, Kansai (Japan) under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives” between 13 April and 13 October 2025.

World Expos, officially known as International Registered Exhibitions, are global gatherings of nations addressing the universal challenges of present times.