2023-10-30 14:30:11
That morning, October 9, on the banks of the Seine, a stone’s throw from the Eiffel Tower, a new type of helicopter caught the eye of passers-by. Around, a Korean delegation in dark suits rushes to photograph him. This flying taxi, the latest innovation from the SK Telecom group, is also one of the showcases put forward by South Korea, in the running to host the 2030 Universal Expo.
In February, moreover, the Korean operator signed a memorandum of understanding with the bidding committee to make this electric vehicle the main means of transport at the event sites.
Innovations, meetings of Korean industrialists and ambassadors with politicians and journalists, symposium, displays and K-pop concert. This Korean week in the French capital takes part in the vibrant advocacy led by South Korea in favor of Pusan, the country’s second city, one of the last candidates alongside Riyadh, in Saudi Arabia, and Rome, in Italy, upstream of the vote on November 28.
“Saudi Arabia is the clear favorite”
On this date, representatives of the International Exhibition Bureau (BIE), which is located in Paris, will have to decide between these three applications. The general assembly will hold a secret vote involving all 182 member states on the principle of one country, one vote. “When there are more than two candidates, a project must receive two thirds of the votes to be elected in the first round. If no project receives two thirds of the votes in the first round, the project which obtained the fewest votes is eliminated. The procedure continues until only two candidates remain. The host country will then be elected by simple majority”, we recall within the BIE.
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At this stage, Riyadh seems to be holding the rope. “Saudi Arabia has a lot of money and is the clear favoriteexplains a lobbyist, a former South Korean diplomat, recently hired by one of the big chaebols, the giant conglomerates which structure South Korea’s economy. Almost all African countries will vote for her. We hope to achieve a sufficient score in the vote on November 28 to be present in a second round of voting. In this case, the cards would be reshuffled and everything would be possible”he adds, preferring to remain anonymous.
Carrying out such a campaign amounts to setting up a real war machine. Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and his delegation have made three trips to the French capital since June, to participate in various activities related to hosting the World Expo.
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