S. Korea Seeks Permit for Osaka-Kansai Expo Pavilion

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:27 JST, July 29, 2023

South Korea on Friday filed an application with the city of Osaka to build a participatory pavilion for the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo — the first overseas entity to do so.

According to sources, Seoul submitted a basic plan that includes a blueprint for the building.

If the city green-lights the application, South Korea can then formally apply for permission to construct a temporary building. It will reportedly take about two months to obtain official permission.

Kim Hyeongjun, the consul general at the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Osaka visited the Osaka City Office on Tuesday where he met with Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama. Kim told Yokoyama that he would make strive to have a pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo; South Korea is hopeful of hosting the 2030 World Expo in Busan.

“We’d like to build our pavilion earlier than other countries,” Kim said, requesting permission to construct a temporary building at an early date.

About 50 countries and regions, including South Korea and the United States, plan to set up pavilions categorized as self-constructed “Type A” pavilions at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo.

No entities have submitted formal applications due to difficulties in finding construction companies against a backdrop of soaring construction material prices and labor shortages.