Yeosu Expo Tuned to Green Growth

Chmn. Kang stresses global event to sound off about the importance of the ocean and Green New Deal

The Organizing Committee for the 2012 Yeosu World Expo named former Minister of of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs (MLTM) Kang Dong-suk chairman of the committee at its June 16 meeting held at the Sejong Center for Performing Arts, the committee announced. Kang said in his acceptance speech that he feels a great responsibility, as the position will be the last opportunity for him to serve the nation as chairman of the third most important event globally after the Olympics and the World Cup. "The Yeosu World Expo shouldn't be just an event for display, it should hold out a hope for the world and realize it, amassing the nation's energy to overcome the economic crisis and be the fourth jump-off point for realizing green growth in the ocean sector," the new chairman said. "The global event in Yeosu will not only be able to bring national harmony, but also boost national pride and be the starting point for realizing the ocean's integrated value as the 'blue ocean' area of the 21st century internationally. It will also be a core force to dramatically develop the underdeveloped southwestern part of the country," he said.
The Yeosu event will show the world a new vision on the use of the ocean, as it is the mother of life and a treasure house of natural resources. Chairman Kang said the venue of the Expo should reflect the realization of green growth, the major framework for national policies, and the ensuing activities and hard work to increase the number of countries committed to participating in the global event to 50 this year. "In order to achieve such a successful result, we must have a strong resolve for success and the power to make it. We ought to have a sense of mission to make the Yeosu World Expo a top world-class event. The world will notice the Shanghai Expo next year and remember it in 2012 when the Yeosu World Expo takes place," he said. "We may not be as large as the Shanghai event, but will make sure that it will surpass it in terms of quality." "Korea successfully managed to hold the 1988 summer Olympics in Seoul, the 1993 World Expo in Daejeon and the 2002 World Cup, and we will once again show every corner of the world our true ability and capacity to hold such a huge global event this time, too," he said. The new chairman also pointed out that the local community has a lot of work to do in relation to traffic, lodging and tourism, among other issues that occur outside the Expo venue and the organizing committee and the local community should build "live and let live" cooperative relations and prepare for the Expo without a hitch. Kang served in various posts in the area of transportation. He was the administrator of the Korea Maritime Affairs Authority, President of the Incheon International Airport Corp. and President of the Korea Electric Power Corp. nw

Chairman Kang Dong-suk, right, is pictured with a number of dignitaries at the garden of the office of the Yeosu World Expo organizing committee in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province. UN Sec.Gen. Ban Ki-moon,4th R, Minister Chung Jong-hwan of the Ministry of Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs, 2nd R, and Gov. Park Joon-young of South Jeolla Province, 3rd L, are in the photo.