Samsung Electronics President Rhee In-yong, left, poses with President of East Timor Jose Ramos-Horta in the Southeast Asian country's capital of Dili, Aug. 19. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics

By Baek Byung-yeul

Samsung Electronics and SK Telecom are working on promoting Korea's bid to host the World Expo 2030, as top officials of the country's leading tech companies met with the leaders of East Timor, Palau and Latin America nations, companies said Sunday. Busan, Korea's busiest port city located in the country's southeast, has officially launched its bid to host the global event.

The competition to host the 2030 event, for which the final decision will be announced in November 2023, has been narrowed down to a showdown between Busan and the Saudi Arabian capital city of Riyadh.

President Yoon Suk-yeol also expressed his strong support for Busan's bid. "I am sure we have a lot more of a competitive edge than Saudi Arabia in terms of ability and infrastructure to pull off the successful hosting of the World Expo 2030," he said in an Aug. 17 media briefing.

In pursuit of this goal, Samsung Electronics President Rhee In-yong had a meeting with East Timor's President Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak on Aug. 19, asking for support for Busan's bid to host the world fair. He also explained Samsung's innovative technologies and social activities.

Samsung also unveiled an outdoor ad in the Southeast Asian country containing messages of support for hosting the World Expo 2030.

Samsung added that Lee Jae-seung, president and head of Digital Appliances Business of the company, and Roh Tae-moon, president and head of Samsung's MX Business, visited Latin American nations to promote Busan's bid for the 2030 event.

The company said Lee visited three Latin American countries ― El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic ― last week to assess the company's operations there and met with key officials of each country.

Roh also met with government officials in Panama and took part in an event commemorating the 60th anniversary of Korea-Panama relations in Panama City on Aug. 16.

SK Telecom Vice Chairman Park Jung-ho, left, and SK Telecom CEO Ryu Young-sang, right, pose with Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr., Aug. 18. Courtesy of SK Telecom

While Samsung has been keen on promoting Busan's bid, top officials of SK Telecom also visited the western Pacific island nation of Palau.

The telecommunications company said its Vice Chairman Park Jung-ho and CEO Ryu Young-sang met with Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr., Aug. 18, and requested the Palau government's support for Busan's bid to host the 2030 event.

SK Telecom added its vice chairman also discussed ways to upgrade Palau's telecommunications infrastructure.