[비즈한국] Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon has expressed his intention to bid for the World Expo again. Previously, Busan pushed for the 2030 World Expo but faced disappointment after losing out to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is expected that if Mayor Park succeeds in his reelection, he will push for another Expo bid.
If the City of Busan decides to pursue the 2040 Expo, regional interest will likely focus on selecting a venue. When the 2030 Expo was being pursued, the candidates mentioned were Maekdo in Gangseo-gu and the North Port redevelopment area in Dong-gu. Ultimately, the North Port area was selected. The plan was to develop Expo facilities alongside the North Port redevelopment. However, following the failure to secure the 2030 Expo, the North Port redevelopment plan returned to square one.
The local community in Busan is urging a quick conclusion regarding the North Port redevelopment. Phase 1 of the project has a clear outline, and related construction is underway. However, no concrete plan has been established for Phase 2. The City of Busan had initially planned to build Expo-related facilities on the Phase 2 site, but project planning studies were temporarily suspended after the failed bid. These studies resumed in 2025, but a conclusion has yet to be reached.
Bizhankook visited the North Port on April 30. No notable developments regarding the redevelopment were visible. The 55th Supply Depot near the North Port, which was reviewed as an event site during the 2030 Expo bid, remained unchanged. The 55th Supply Depot is a facility that stores U.S. military equipment before distributing it to U.S. bases nationwide. It spans an area of 223,000 square meters (approximately 64,757 pyeong).
Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon has pledged to build a baseball stadium in the Phase 2 area of the North Port redevelopment. Additionally, HMM011200 recently announced plans to construct its corporate headquarters in the North Port redevelopment area. Although the exact location has not been finalized, if the HMM headquarters and a baseball stadium are built in the Phase 2 area, it would be realistically difficult to also accommodate Expo-related facilities.
The venue for the 2040 Expo is not expected to be decided until after 2030. Therefore, if Expo facilities are to be built in the Phase 2 area, the North Port redevelopment plan would effectively be delayed until after 2030. In this scenario, Phase 2 of the North Port redevelopment would remain stagnant for the time being. In a plenary session in March, Busan City Council member Kang Cheol-ho pointed out, "Time is just ticking away while officials say the North Port landmark site, the heart of Busan, is still under review."
Aside from the North Port, Maekdo is being cited as another candidate. Maekdo is an island located in Gangseo-gu, Busan. Despite being an island, it is connected to the mainland by roads, making access relatively easy. Maekdo is also adjacent to Gimhae International Airport and the planned Gadeokdo New Airport site. Maekdo was also discussed as a potential venue when Busan was pushing for the 2030 Expo.
There is a strong sentiment in Gangseo-gu, Busan, favoring an Expo bid in Maekdo. After Busan failed to win the 2030 Expo bid, Kim Hyung-chan, the head of Gangseo-gu, wrote on social media: "Looking back at the Busan Expo bidding process, as the head of Gangseo-gu, I have some regrets. The candidate site was changed from Maekdo to the North Port area. When the Oh Keo-don administration took office in 2018, they unilaterally changed the site to the North Port without any explanation or consensus from the residents of Gangseo-gu."
District Head Kim continued, "Maekdo has sufficient area (1.15 million pyeong), convenient transportation, and a beautiful natural environment surrounded by the river. This site, recommended by experts, is an excellent candidate for the Expo. Hosting the Busan Expo in Maekdo would serve as a groundbreaking catalyst for the development of Western Busan."
However, large-scale development of Maekdo is expected to face some opposition. Maekdo is home to the Maekdo Ecological Park, which features wetlands and paddy fields that provide food and rest for migratory birds such as ducks and geese. It is also filled with various aquatic plants and reed wetlands.
Even if the Expo were held in Maekdo, the likelihood of developing the Maekdo Ecological Park is low. Looking at Maekdo, the area east of the Airport Road consists of the ecological park, while the western side houses factories, warehouses, and farmland. If Maekdo is developed, it is highly likely that focus will be on the area west of the Airport Road. Nevertheless, starting such a large-scale project could potentially have negative environmental impacts on the Maekdo Ecological Park.
Moreover, the Nakdong River estuary adjacent to Maekdo is an area sensitive to environmental groups. In March 2024, the Busan Federation for Environmental Movement criticized the city, stating, "The City of Busan is pushing for the construction of 16 new bridges, including the Daejeo Bridge, Eomgung Bridge, and Jangrak Bridge, which go against the protection of the Nakdong River estuary ecosystem. Furthermore, it is overtly aiming to develop the riverbank and lift protections on cultural heritage and wetland conservation areas." They added, "Various reckless development projects by the City of Busan are causing concern and criticism from both local communities and national environmental groups due to the shrinking and destruction of protected areas in the Nakdong River estuary."
Compensation issues could also become a stumbling block. While there are few residential facilities like apartments in Maekdo, there are numerous factories, warehouses, and farmland. If compensation agreements with landowners and building owners do not proceed smoothly, construction of Expo-related facilities would inevitably be delayed. An employee working at a factory in Maekdo said, "I haven't heard any specific rumors or discussions regarding the 2040 Expo," adding, "I do remember being bothered by real estate agents coming and going when Maekdo was mentioned as a candidate for the 2030 Expo."
Even if the Expo is held elsewhere, compensation remains a hurdle unless the land is state-owned. Considering accessibility and size, there are few candidates other than the North Port or Maekdo. Attention is now focused on whether the city will push for the 2040 Expo in the North Port or Maekdo, or if it will select a third location.