North Korea is going to take part in the Shanghai Expo, China’s Xinhua News Agency reported on the 18th. According to the report, North Korea is constructing a pavilion with ‘Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea’ as its theme. It also hopes to promote the ‘construction of a strong and prosperous state’ in the Expo, which opens to the public in May and runs until October 31st.
North Korea only joined Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the Expo governing body, in 2007, and did not take part in Expo 2008, which was held in Zaragoza, Spain. Thus, this is the first time the country will ever have taken part in an Expo.
According to Lee Seong Un, the vice director of the North Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the man who is leading North Korea’s participation in Expo 2010, North Korea plans to have models, photos and videos about Pyongyang’s historic cultural assets, modern buildings, folk culture and the lifestyle of its people on show in its 1000m² pavilion.
“Ever since we decided to participate in Shanghai Expo in July 2007,” Lee told Xinhua, “we have been preparing smoothly with the full support of the Chinese government and are now in the final stages of establishing the ‘Korean Pavilion.’
Participation in the Expo “will be a good opportunity to learn more about China and we will be able to share good conversations and cooperation with other countries,” he added.
He also revealed that ‘Korean Pavilion Day’ will be held at the Expo on September 6th, and that a delegation of high-ranking cadres from North Korea will visit Shanghai at that time.
192 countries will participate in this year’s Shanghai Expo, and China hopes to attract 70 million visitors over the course of the year.
