By Reporter Anna Kim  

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee met with delegates from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) at the "Busan World Expo Official Reception" event held at the Isere-Mulino Sports Center near Paris, France on June 21.

The official reception, which is held only once per candidate country until the vote to decide the host country for the 2030 World Expo, invites delegates from all BIE member countries and is organized by the government and the private sector to showcase Korea's bid for the World Expo and promote the appeal of Busan.

In his welcoming remarks, the President called for support for Busan, South Korea, following the fourth competition presentation on Tuesday, referring to the "values of the 2030 Busan World Expo" and "Korea's responsible contribution to the international community."

Afterwards, the President and First Lady walked around the reception hall and interacted directly with the delegations of Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) member countries in attendance, once again conveying Korea's strong bid and commitment to realizing the vision.

A total of eight group chairmen, including business leaders such as Lee Jae-yong, Chey Tae-won, Chung Eui-sun, and Koo Kwang-mo, as well as more than 20 members of the Private Committee to Support Expo Bids and members of the National Assembly's Expo Special Committee, attended the reception and actively engaged in negotiations.

The event also featured exhibitions and performances that showcased the diverse charms of Korea's K-brands, including K-Culture, K-Food, and K-Music.

'Starry Beach', a media art piece installed at the entrance of the reception hall, drew attendees to Busan, a city by the sea, and a UAM (Urban Air Mobility) model exhibition, where they could experience the 2030 Busan World Expo in VR, attracted the attention of BIE delegates from around the world. 

In addition, at the official reception, fusion Korean food such as zucchini tart, crab meat glutinous rice risotto, and bulgogi sandwiches prepared by a 'Michelin 2-star' Korean restaurant (Mingles) were served, and traditional liquors such as makgeolli, plum wine, and soju cocktails were prepared for drinks.

Jinjo Crew, the world's No. 1 b-boy team, performed a dynamic performance to the tune of national music, drawing enthusiastic responses from the delegates. B-boying was first adopted as an official sport at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The event concluded with a gala performance by two of Korea's top musical actors, Kim Jun-soo and Cha Ji-yeon, who left a lasting impression. Psy, who was the first speaker at the competition presentation yesterday (20th), also attended the reception, garnering great interest and response from the BIE delegates.

As souvenirs, delegates attending the reception received a 'commemorative stamp packet' from global stars and Busan 2030 ambassadors BTS, a 'cosmetic set' from a Korean company representing K-Beauty, and a 'BUSAN IS READY key ring' designed by First Lady Kim Keon-hee.

The event was well attended by more than 400 people, including delegates from BIE member countries and diplomats based in Paris, demonstrating the strong interest in Busan among BIE delegates.

Capitalizing on this momentum, Korea will continue to focus on its bid for the remaining five months until the 173rd General Assembly in November, when the host city for the 2030 World Expo will be decided, with all actors, including the government and the private sector, working together under the banner of 'Korea One Team'.