[The Insight]
그룹 次元서 誘致 TF팀 組織해 活動
釜山서 異例的으로 VCM 會議 열고
다보스서 政財界 리더에 支持 要請

롯데는 釜山과 因緣이 깊다. 1968年 롯데製菓 釜山 出張所 開設, 1982年 프로野球 롯데자이언츠 創團, 1995年 롯데백화점 釜山本店 출點 等이 代表的이다. 롯데가 2030年 釜山世界博覽會 誘致를 위해 ‘롯데그룹 誘致支援 TFT’를 組織하고 그룹 力量을 總動員해 支援 活動을 펼치는 것도 釜山이 롯데에 意味 깊은 都市인 影響이 크다.

신동빈 롯데그룹 會長은 지난해 7月 釜山에서 異例的으로 밸류크리에이션미팅(VCM)를 열었다. 서울에서 여는 VCM 會議를 釜山에서 開催한 것은 처음이었다. 申 會長은 系列社 社長團에게 “釜山에서 VCM을 進行하는 것은 2030 釜山世界博覽會를 應援하는 意味”라며 “參席者 모두가 엑스포 誘致를 應援하고 努力해달라”고 當付했다. 國家的 行事를 그룹 次元에서 全幅 支援하자는 趣旨였다.

釜山世界博覽會 誘致가 成功하면 43兆 원의 生産誘發 效果와 함께 18兆 원의 附加價値가 創出될 것으로 展望되는 만큼 호텔, 百貨店 等 釜山에서 다양한 事業을 펼치는 롯데에도 ‘윈윈’이라는 判斷에서다.


申 會長은 釜山엑스포 誘致 支援을 위해 글로벌 비즈니스 네트워크를 活用하고 있다. 올해 1月 初 스위스 다보스에서 열린 世界經濟포럼(WEF)에서 各國 政財界 리더들을 만나 釜山에 對한 關心과 支持를 要請했다. 롯데호텔은 포럼 期間 大韓商工會議所 主催로 열린 ‘韓國의 밤’ 行事에서 글로벌 리더 300餘名에게 韓食 메뉴 30餘 種을 선보이며 엑스포 誘致 念願을 傳達하기도 했다.

申 會長은 지난해 6月 아일랜드 더블린에서 열린 CGF 글로벌 서밋에서 開催地 釜山의 力量을 紹介했고 9月 베트남 호찌민市에서 열린 투티엠 에코스마트시티 着工式에서 판 半 마이 호찌민市 人民委員長을 만나 釜山엑스포 誘致 支持를 要請했다.

롯데그룹 系列社 經營陣들도 함께 뛰고 있다. 롯데케미칼은 지난해 11月 訪韓한 푸안 마하라니 인도네시아 下院議長을, 롯데호텔과 롯데제과는 各各 아이보視 고이치 駐韓 日本 大使와 앨런 존 케레마텐 가나 産業部 長官을 만나 釜山 支持를 要請했다. 롯데未來戰略硏究所는 지난해 11月 바킷 듀센바예프 駐韓 카자흐스탄 大使와 지난해 12月 訪韓한 니콜라에 癡愚커 루마니아 總理를 만나 엑스포 誘致 活動을 展開했다. 롯데칠성음료는 지난해 末 泰國, 캄보디아, 필리핀 等 아세안 10個國 駐韓大使와 面談하며 釜山 支持를 當付했다.


롯데는 海外 포럼과 博覽會도 釜山엑스포 弘報의 場으로 活用하고 있다. 롯데 流通 6個社(홈쇼핑, 百貨店. 마트, 免稅店, 하이마트, 코리아세븐)는 지난해 9月 獨逸과 美國에서 ‘롯데-大韓民國 브랜드 엑스포’를 열고 中小企業 海外 販路開拓을 파며 엑스포 誘致 活動을 함께 펼쳤다. 지난해 9月 獨逸 베를린에서 열린 家電 博覽會 ‘IFA 2022’에서는 行使 期間 동안 釜山엑스포 弘報 映像을 부스 全面 大型 스크린으로 내보냈다.

롯데는 國際博覽會機構(BIE)에서 現場 實査를 오면 國內 誘致 熱氣를 高調시키기 위해 다양할 活動을 展開할 計劃이다. 롯데百貨店 本店 屋外 電光板과 서울驛 롯데아울렛 外壁 랩핑을 통해 釜山엑스포를 應援할 計劃이다. 롯데홈쇼핑과 롯데월드는 서울 光化門廣場에서 롯데의 自體 캐릭터 벨리곰과 로티·로리와 함께 엑스포 誘致 이벤트를 펼친다. 釜山에 位置한 롯데호텔, 롯데백화점, 롯데리아 等 全 賣場에 大型 懸垂幕을 내걸고 任職員들은 釜山엑스포 公式 배지를 着用하고 勤務할 豫定이다.





Launches TFT to promote Busan Expo bid

For promotional purpose, Value Creation Meeting held in Busan

Calls for support at World Economic Forum

Lotte has a long history with Busan. Lotte Confectionery opened its Busan branch in 1968, and professional baseball team Lotte Giants was founded based in Busan in 1982, and Lotte Department Store opened its Busan location in 1995. Lotte has set up Lotte Group TFT to support the expo bid and is mobilizing the group’s capabilities to provide support for the World Expo 2030 Busan as the city holds deep meaning to the group.

Chairperson Shin Dong-bin held a Valuation Creation Meeting (VCM) unusually in Busan in July last year. This was the first time that the meeting, which is usually hosted in Seoul, was held in Busan. “We are holding a VCM in Busan to support the World Expo 2030 Busan,” said Chairperson Shin to the presidents of the group’s affiliates. “I ask for support and efforts from all of you to help Busan win the expo bid,” Shin said, calling for the attendees’ full support for the national event.

Lotte, which operates hotels, department stores, and other businesses in Busan, is expected to enjoy the win-win effect if Busan hosts the World Expo 2030, which is projected to bring 43 trillion won of production inducement effect and 18 trillion won of added value.


Chairperson Shin is utilizing the group’s global business networks to support the bid for the expo. He met with the leaders of the political and business circles from many countries at the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland in early January this year and asked for support and interest in Busan as a host country. Lotte Hotel served over 30 kinds of Korean food to over 300 global leaders during the Korea Night event hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry during the forum, delivering the group’s wish for hosting the expo.

The Lotte chairperson also introduced the capabilities of Busan as a host country at the CGF Global Summit held in Dublin, Ireland in June last year. He also called for support for Busan from Phan Van Mai, the chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Thu Theim Eco-Smart City project held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in September.

The management teams of Lotte Group’s affiliates are also working together to win the expo bid. Lotte Chemical met with Speaker of the People’s Representative Council of Indonesia Puan Maharani, Lotte Hotel with the Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Koichi Aiboshi, and Lotte Confectionery with Ghanaian Minister for Trade and Industry Alan John Kyerematen, calling for their support for Busan. Lotte Institute of Economy & Business Strategy met with Kazakhstani Ambassador to South Korea Bakyt Dyussenbayev in November last year and Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca during his visit to South Korea in December last year to promote the expo. Lotte Chilsung had meetings with Ambassadors to South Korea from 10 ASEAN countries, including Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines, at the end of last year, pleading for their support for Busan.


Lotte is also utilizing overseas forums and exhibitions as venues to promote the World Expo 2030 Busan. Lotte’s six retail companies ? Lotte Home Shopping, Department Store, Mart, Duty Free, Hi-Mart, and Korea Seven ? held Lotte-Korea Brand Expo in Germany and the U.S. in September last year to pioneer new overseas markets for small- and medium-sized enterprises along with activities to promote the World Expo 2030 Busan. In September last year, Lotte also presented promotional videos for the Expo 2030 on a large screen in the front of its booth at the IFA 2022, a home appliance exhibition held in Berlin, Germany.

Lotte plans to engage in various activities to promote people’s interest in the World Expo 2030 in South Korea during the Bureau International des Expositions’ on-site inspection. A billboard will be set up for Lotte Department Store’s main store in Jung-gu, Seoul and the exterior walls of Lotte Outlet’s Seoul Station location will be wrapped with images to promote the expo. Lotte Home Shopping and Lotte World will utilize the characters representing them ? Bellygom, Loti, and Lori ? to hold events to promote the expo bid in Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. All locations of Lotte Hotel, Lotte Department Store, and Lotteria in Busan will have large banners promoting the expo, and all staff will wear official expo badges.


신동진 記者 shine@donga.com
Shin Dong-Jin Shine@donga.com