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Yeosu Expo to Highlight Future of 'Blue Economy'
2010. 6 April
by Do Je-hae
(www.koreatimes.co.kr)
A defining legacy of preparations for the 2012 Yeosu Expo is the beginning of a global dialogue on the new concept of a ``Blue Economy,'' referring to the commercial development of oceans in a sustainable way in the 21st century.
The concept is becoming a significant part of the global agenda, as countries worldwide are beginning to examine the ocean as a major asset of their economies.
This is why the relevant theme of the Yeosu Expo ― ``The Living Ocean and Coast: Diversity of Resources and Sustainable Activities'' ― is attracting global attention, according to the top organizer of one of the world's largest events after the Olympics and the World Cup. The Yeosu Expo will be held from May 12 to Aug. 12 in 2012.
Starting today, delegations from 82 countries are gathering in Seoul and in Yeosu for a three-day preparatory conference.
Kang Dong-suk, chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 2012 Yeosu Expo, said the timely theme of the Yeosu Expo sets it apart from its previous series.
``There have been expos in the past that were organized around themes related to the ocean, like the 1975 Okinawa Expo. But back then, people were not as concerned about the preservation of the ocean or development of maritime resources as they are today,'' Kang said during an interview with The Korea Times at his office in central Seoul. ``By 2050, the stage for global economic activity will see a significant transition from the land to the sea.''
Many countries are acting to respond to the challenges of global warming and the depletion of natural resources by exploring the possibilities from the ocean.
``The United States, for example, recently established a presidential ad-hoc committee on maritime research,'' Kang added.
Experts at the Yeosu Expo will put their heads together to standardize the definition of Blue Economy, which at the moment takes on slightly different meanings among scholars.
The former land and transport minister said the coastal city of Yeosu is ideally situated to become Korea's leading frontier of the Blue Economy in the years ahead.
A number of international forums on ocean research will take place prior to and during the expo on maritime research.
The scenic port city is the next venue in the expo series after Shanghai, which will be holding a six-month long expo ― the largest in the event's history slated to begin next month in May.
How to Publicize
The organizers of the Yeosu Expo will place a top priority on publicizing the remote southern town to Shanghai Expo participants.
``We believe that the Shanghai event is a great opportunity for us to make a positive impression and will make sure that everyone knows after Shanghai to come to Yeosu.''
To publicize Yeosu, Korea is set to make the most of the Shanghai Expo as a showcase of Korea's cultural, business, and IT expertise.
Seoul spent some $35 million building a Korean Pavilion, spanning an area of nearly 7,700 square meters. It is one of the 12 largest pavilions, except for that of the host country, China.
Korea's participation in the Shanghai World Expo is the largest to date in Seoul's World Expo experiences since it took part in the Paris World Expo in 1889.
One of the biggest concerns of the organizers and government officials involved in the preparations is how to increase the profile of Yeosu in the international community.
Unlike its predecessors like New York, Shanghai, Montreal, Vancouver and Osaka, Yeosu is lacking in global appeal and tourism infrastructure.
However, consistent efforts have been underway to transform the area into a comprehensive marine leisure town ahead of the expo opening.
``The city is little known, even in Korea. But the tourism potentials of the area are profound,'' Kang said.
Recent reports have cited budgetary limitations and lack of government support for the Yeosu Expo, causing the delay of some of the major infrastructure plans. But Kang dismissed such reports.
``As of yet, it takes more than five hours to reach Yeosu by train or by car. But we are building a new high-speed rail and expressway networks that will shorten the travel time to three hours by the end of 2011,'' Kang said.
New transportation networks are also under construction to speed up connections between Yeosu and other major cities such as Busan and Mokpo, in South Jeolla Province.
Yeosu is expecting around 8 million visitors during the 90-day event.
Another huge concern for the organizers has been establishing sufficient accommodation facilities to house these future visitors.
Due to unclear post-expo prospects, Yeosu has had difficulty in finding investors for premium hotels but organizers have sought alternative solutions to resolve the accommodation issue.
``Yeosu and the southern coastal region are home to some of the most extensive temples in the country. Many of these temples have agreed to expand their temple stay programs for expo visitors,'' Kang said.
Around 200 farming and fishing villages have committed to operating homestay programs for visitors who wish to experience the merits of living in rural Korea, he added.
Construction is underway for 12 new hotels in Yeosu and its adjacent cities of Suncheon, Hadong and Boseong.
The organizers are determined not to repeat the mistake of the 1993 Daejeon Expo.
``The expo itself was hugely successful and played an important role in improving Korea's image as an IT powerhouse. But many expo facilities have become useless since then,'' Kang said.
Officials have already established a roadmap for the post-expo profitability of the major expo facilities being built, like hotels, parks and cruise terminals in Yeosu.
Kang added that The Korea Times has a big role in publicizing the Yeosu Expo to the world, particularly during the G-20 Summit in November this year.
``We hope that the nation's oldest English paper will be more active in reporting on how we proceed with the preparations and impart the significance of the expo to the daily's global readership.''
Source: www.koreatimes.co.kr