By Kim Hyun-bin

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun met with Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger to request support to host the World Expo 2030 in Busan, according to the company Sunday.

Chung met with Heger Friday, asking for support in the Korean port city's bid to host the World Expo and discussing ways to cooperate in expanding eco-friendly mobility.

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun shakes hands with Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger after requesting support to host the World Expo 2030 in Busan at the PM office Bratislava, Slovakia, Friday. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group

Slovakia is the chair of the Visegrad Group, a regional cooperation organization between Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary, and Kia operates a European production base in Slovakia.

The meeting was held at the Prime Minister's Office with Heger, Chung and key figures from the Slovak government in attendance, including Deputy Minister of Economy Peter Svec and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrej Stancik.

At this meeting, Chung expressed his gratitude for the Slovak government's active interest and support for Kia Autoland Slovakia which has been in operation since December 2006 and grown into an outpost for the European market by achieving a cumulative production of 4 million units last year.

Kia Autoland Slovakia, located in Zilina, Slovakia, has an annual production capacity of 330,000 units on an area of about 1.92 million square meters.

Chung also explained the future vision of the World Expo in Busan and requested support.

"As a smart innovation powerhouse, Korea has the technological leadership and capability to present solutions to solve the crises facing mankind such as climate change." Chung said. "Under the theme of 'Transforming Our World, Navigating Toward a Better Future,' we will seek a sustainable future through eco-friendly life and technological innovation, and promote cooperation in the international community."

The executive chair emphasized that Busan is the largest port city in Korea and a logistics hub linking Eurasia and the Pacific and that it is well capable of hosting the World Expo.

The two also exchanged views on ways to cooperate for sustainable growth of Slovakia's automobile industry, a key sector of the national economy, as Kia Autoland Slovakia production accounts for 50 percent of total industrial production in the country.

In addition, Chung requested the continued interest of the Slovak government so that Kia Autoland Slovakia, which is pushing for a phased reorganization to become electrified, can succeed and become a major EV production base in Europe.