Expo 2012 (Korean: 2012 여수세계박람회; Hanja: 2012 麗水世界博覽會) was an International Exposition recognized by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) held in Yeosu, South Korea which opened on May 12, 2012 and ran until August 12, 2012.[1] The theme of the Expo was "The Living Ocean and Coast" with subthemes of "Preservation and Sustainable Development of the Ocean and Coast", "New Resources Technology", and "Creative Marine Activities".[2] There were 105 participating countries, international organizations, and 8,203,956 visitors.
Expo 2012 opened on May 12 in the southern coastal town of Yeosu, approximately 455 kilometers south of Seoul. It was the second international fair hosted by South Korea, after Expo '93 in Daejeon. The expo site for 80 exhibition halls stretched out alongside the sea with promenades and exhibit spaces extending to the island of Odongdo and the seawalls. The Expo also received positive reaction for addressing global issues like climate change and the protection of the ocean through story-telling events.[3]