Expo’98 forever changed the eastern part of the city of Lisbon, which otherwise could have remained deserted for many years to come. In Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city, the world expo is not the engine of development – working to give Porto back Norte’s waterfront to the city and its people began a long time ago. Hosting Expo 2030 will be a way to showcase this urban revolution to the world. Changes will take place in November.
“Busan is ready” (“Busan is ready”) can be read all over South Korea, from large banners at Incheon International Airport, which serves the capital Seoul, to the small labels on beer bottles – to which South Koreans love to shot in soju. The slogan is written on the many construction tracks that fill the city, South Korea’s largest port and the sixth largest in the world by number of containers, and 384 meters high at the Busan X the Sky observatory, on the 100th floor of the Haeundae LCT Landmark Tower, the tallest in the city and the second tallest in the country (411.6 meters).
The elevator ride is an immersive experience lasting less than a minute, with the walls turning into video screens. When we go up, we take a balloon ride, when we go down, we dive into the depths of the Strait of Korea. From the observatory, up there, it’s possible to see not only Haeundae’s 1.5-kilometer city beach – a glass bridge lets you watch the waves break below, not recommended for those with a fear of heights – but also part of the jagged coastline of the city. However, the Porto Norte area, where the revolution takes place, is hidden.
The best way to see what’s changing is on a boat trip across the bay, bordered by the Busanhamgdaegyo Bridge – one of seven around the city. The ground is already being prepared and the container area, which has not yet been transferred to other ports, will soon be relocated to continue with the construction phase.
Busan has been a trading port since the 15th century, and the mountain-surrounded city was the temporary capital after North Korea’s invasion in 1950 – when it became the last defensive stronghold for South Korean troops before troops entered the scene. United Nations. It was the port that made the connection with the rest of the world and especially with the Allies possible. The 300,000 inhabitants grew to one million, with the arrival of refugees, and after the 1953 armistice, the city and its port became one of the engines of economic and financial development in the country. It currently has 3.4 million inhabitants.
The Port of Busan is not one, but four, including a cruise ship terminal. In 1996, the authorities decided to return the maritime front of one of them, Porto Norte, to the city and its citizens. It is there that a new development project is growing and where South Koreans hope to host Expo 2030. “Transforming our world, navigating to a brighter future” is the proposed theme for the world expo, which Koreans want to host from May 1 to October 31, 2030.
One of the organization’s members, Hwang hyun-ki, explained to a group of foreign journalists visiting the city at the invitation of the South Korean Journalists Association that since 2030 is the year of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), The plan is to bring the two ideas together. Thus, despite this main theme, the exhibition has three sub-themes related to these SDGs: living sustainably with nature, technology for humanity and a platform for caring and “sharing” people. An answer to three global challenges: climate change, the downside of digital transformation and inequality between nations.
The candidacy presentation video leverages two of South Korea’s assets: its series and movies and K-pop. The beginning of the video refers to the series Squid Game, a worldwide success through the Netflix platform. Faced with the problems facing the planet, the “competitors” are invited to participate in the “coexistence project”. Then BTS enters the scene, probably the most famous K-pop group in the world, honorary ambassadors of Busan’s candidacy – two of the seven elements are from the city. “While in the Squid Game there is only one survivor, the Korean coexistence project has a different ending, where we all survive together on the beautiful planet Earth,” they say, explaining that the Expo 2030 in Busan “is open to anyone who wants to to change the future”.
The project covers an area of 3.43 million square meters, equivalent to about 480 football pitches, and is divided into thematic zones, pavilion zones of the participating countries and various squares and cultural areas, always with nature and water at the center. one of the highlights. There will be an urban forest and artificial islands, including a floating urban project for climate refugees, which is being developed together with the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN Habitat).
After the end of Expo 2030, or if Busan’s candidacy is not the winner in the November elections – Rome (Italy), Odessa (Ukraine) and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) are the opponents – the zone will be transformed into a business district, innovation and technology. In total, the authorities expect to invest about 5.7 billion dollars (5.3 billion euros) in the transformation.
South Korea has experience with these types of projects. At the top of G Tower in the Songdo area, in Incheon, north of Seoul, you will have a privileged view of Central Park. A watercourse runs through the park, around which skyscrapers in the form of waves (larger or smaller) or a concert hall are based on the water. It is not surprising. 30 years ago, the whole area was exactly the sea, with the buildings that can be seen from the IFEZ observatory, on the 33rd floor, born in the last 20 or 25 years. In the distance you can see others under construction, in a project that is not yet finished.
The country is the fourth largest economy in Asia and the 10th largest in the world, with well-known brands such as Samsung – which was born as a trading post in the 1930s and turned into a conglomerate of companies ranging from the most common mobile phones to the pharmaceutical sector – Hyundai or LG. Despite being technically still at war with North Korea, the country continues to develop and seeks a more active role at the political level in promoting freedom, peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
A message passed by the Deputy Minister of Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Choi Young-sam, during the World Conference of Journalists, which took place in Seoul. The strategy of the government, currently led by Conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol, in the Indo-Pacific region is one of inclusion, not excluding any country, trust, seeking reliable partnerships and reciprocity, seeking cooperation that is mutually can benefit the various partners.
opponents
In addition to South Korea and Busan, three other countries and cities have applied to host Expo 2030. The choice will be made at the general meeting of the International Exhibitions Office, in November this year, through a vote where each country is entitled to one vote.
Rome, Italy: After Milan, Italy wants to host an Expo again in 2015. This time the candidate is the Italian capital. Rome wants to host the exhibition in the Tor Vergata district, which has an excellent university campus, but also a residential area that has been neglected in recent decades. “People and Territories: Regeneration, Inclusion and Innovation” is the proposed theme for the Expo.
Odessa, Ukraine: “Renaissance. Technology. Future” is the proposed theme for Odessa, which presented its candidacy in October 2021. Despite the war in Ukraine, the candidacy was not withdrawn – unlike what happened with Moscow, Russia, which withdrew from the application you submitted. “The time of Ukrainian victory will come and then the reconstruction of our country will become the most important economic, technological and humanitarian project of our time,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video presentation.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: After Dubai in 2021 and 2022 (due to the covid pandemic the 2020 exhibition had to be postponed), the Arabian Peninsula wants to host the Expo again. “The Era of Change: Together for an Envisioned Tomorrow” is the theme proposed by the Saudis for Expo 2030 if Riyadh is chosen. The precise location for the 338-hectare project would be north of the capital, around Wadi Al Sulai, a historic valley.
DN traveled at the invitation of the South Korean Journalists Association.
Source: DN
