During the “Korea Week” in Spain, Minister of Culture, Sport and Tourism (MCST) PARK Bo Gyoon met with María Reyes Maroto Illera, Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism of Spain to exchange opinions on promoting bilateral tourism exchanges.

  In particular, Minister PARK widely shared the Korean government's will to host the World Expo 2030 in Busan. The Minister said, “Busan has rich experience in hosting international mega events, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit and the Korea-ASEAN Summit. If the World Expo is held in Busan, it will serve as a stage to solve the challenges that the international community is facing such as climate change, health crisis, and polarization of high-tech technologies”, requesting active support and cooperation from Spain.

 On Minister’s remarks, the Spanish Minister, María Reyes Maroto Illera said, “We reviewed the candidates for World Expo 2030, and Busan has a lot of strengths, expecting positive result.” The Spanish Minister and the Tourism Secretary requested the Korean government for active support to host the 2027 Recognised Expo in Málaga.

 In addition, the Spanish Minister said, “The two countries are very important partners in the tourism. Next year, the Spanish government plans to open a Tourism Office in Seoul to expand practical tourism cooperation.” On this plan, Minister PARK said, “Most Koreans choose Spain as a country they want to visit or re-visit. We highly welcome the opening of the Spanish Tourism Office in Seoul as a way of cooperation in the tourism sector between the two countries.”

  The Spanish Minister Reyes Maroto expressed the will to hold “Spain Week” in Seoul in the first half of next year, similar to “Korea Week” held in Spain. On this plan, Minister PARK welcomed and said that the MCST will provide systematic support for the success of the event.