Korean Ambassador to Kazakhstan Kim Dae-sik (left) poses for a photo with visitors to Expo 2017 Astana in the Kazakhstani capital on June 10 to promote next year’s PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
By Xu Aiying and Sohn JiAe
Photos = Korean Cultural Center in Kazakhstan
Expo 2017 Astana has been underway in the Kazakhstani capital since June 10, bringing together energy-related businesses from 115 countries and 22 international organizations, all under the theme of “Future Energy.”
The expo allows participating companies and organizations to share their own energy technologies and information through forums, exhibits, seminars and sideline programs that are all on offer there.
A special section has been allotted to promote next year’s PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, less than 200 days away.
Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korean Cultural Center in Kazakhstan, part of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, set up the Korea Pavilion at the expo on June 11. The pavilion is designed to present and explain Korean sports, tourism and traditions to expo visitors. One of the booths at the pavilion allows visitors to try some VR ski jumping, giving them a chance to learn more about Winter Olympic sports.
There are other promotional events, too. Visitors are being invited to share the hashtag #2018PyeongChang on their social media profiles, to write down messages of support for the Winter Games, and to pose for photos with the PyeongChang official mascots, Soohorang the white tiger and Bandabi the Asiatic black bear.
According to data released by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), the Korea Pavilion has attracted more than 4,000 visitors per day on average since opening. The data also show that total turnout has exceeded 100,000 visitors in just three weeks.
The pavilion and the PyeongChang promotional booth will run until Sept. 10 when the expo comes to an end.
Visitors jot down their messages of support for next year’s PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games at a booth set up at the Expo 2017 Astana to promote the Winter Games.
xuaiy@korea.kr
