KPop sensation BTS may be doing their solo endeavors, but their recent appointment as honorary ambassadors leaves no room for disbandment.
On Tuesday afternoon, the bidding committee held the appointment ceremony of BTS as official public relations ambassadors for the 2030 Busan World Expo bid at the band’s label HYBE Headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
Aside from BTS, other ceremony attendees include committee co-chairs Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, also the chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon, and HYBE CEO Park Ji-won.
After BTS presented their appointment plaque, leader RM delivered a speech on behalf of the members.
“It’s a true honor that BTS has been appointed as ambassadors for the 2030 Busan World Expo. We will do our best to make the bid successful. Starting with the global concert in Busan set for October, we will strive earnestly to support the bidding and contribute to spreading South Korea’s beautiful culture around the world. Again, we ask for everyone’s love, attention and support for the Expo.”
The bidding committee’s representative members also shared words of acknowledgment for the super KPop group joining the bidding rally. Group Chairman Chey noted that ARMYs from 197 countries worldwide watched BTS’ online concert last year. He expressed enthusiasm about the band’s role as ambassadors. He said, “There’s a BTS song titled ‘Attack on Bangtan.’ I think it was released when they were a rookie band, and the lyrics were about how BTS will march forward. I’m also looking forward to seeing how the Busan Expo will unfold with BTS marching forward in unison.”
Prime Minister Han stated, “With BTS alongside us, from the bidding to the hosting of the event, we can make Busan Expo into a festival on’ Fire ‘for people all over the world. I expect something like’ Dynamite. ‘Let’s ‘light it up like dynamite,'” making references to the band’s chart-topping songs “Fire” and “Dynamite.”
In hopes of adding star power to the port city’s 2030 Expo bid, HYBE signed a memorandum on June 24 with the Busan City government to support and cooperate in bidding efforts, whereby BTS would be ambassadors.
As BTS take the ambassadorial roles, they are primed to participate in various promotional activities in South Korea and abroad. BTS will hold a global concert in Busan in October, conduct negotiation activities with the voting members of the Bureau International des Expositions, and promote the city as a candidate at the BIE General Assembly, the intergovernmental body facilitating the World Expo.
The World Expo is deemed one of the largest international festivals in the same league as the World Cup and Olympics. The event transpires every five years and attracts millions of visitors to the host city during its six-month duration. According to the South Korean government, hosting the World Expo is estimated to create economic activity worth 61 trillion Won, or $46.4 billion.
170 BIE member countries will decide who will be the 2030 World Expo host nation on November 2023. The second largest city in South Korea, Busan, is among three competitors in the running to host the 2030 Expo. The remaining rivals are Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh and Italy’s capital Rome.
Source: The Korea Herald
