As the fourth and final round of presentations for the World Expo 2030 host city begins in Paris this week, Busan — South Korea’s second-largest city — appears to be a strong contender. 

With a compelling story of urban transformation into a gleaming global hub and national corporate backing, the city’s passion and enthusiasm — banners, beach sand sculptures, drone shows and even a theme song — have fueled a perception that Busan’s victory is inevitable.

“I was in Busan last August,” Kevin Hockmuth, an associate professor of political science and Korean studies at Akita National University in Japan,