The 2012 Yeosu Expo, the world`s largest maritime festival, kicked off its
three-month run Friday with the opening ceremony.

Under the theme of "Living Ocean and Coast," the global gala event as
officially recognized by the International Exhibitions Bureau is the second expo
to be hosted by Korea after the 1993 Daejeon Expo. Befitting its status as one
of the world`s top three festivals along with the Summer Olympics and the World
Cup soccer finals, the Yeosu Expo will have the participation of 104 countries,
including the U.S., Germany, France, China and Japan, and 10 international
organizations.

Some 2,400 domestic and foreign guests attended the opening ceremony held on
the "Big-O" floating stage at the expo site at 7 p.m. They included Korean
President Lee Myung-bak, Vicente Loscertales, secretary-general of the
Paris-based Bureau of International Exhibitions, lawmakers and CEOs of companies
participating in the event.

The pre-opening festivities were full of enjoyment and impressions. The
ceremony began with a pipe organ that mimicked the fog horn on a ship setting
sail, followed by an orchestra concert, traditional music and dancing
performances for 110 minutes.

The Yeosu Expo, which will conclude Aug. 12, will convey a new message on
achieving sustainable growth through harmony among the earth, life, the
ecosystem and humans through the sea. High-tech videos and IT will be showcased
at facilities such as the Big-O, the Expo Digital Gallery, the Aquarium and 80
other exhibition halls.

In addition, about 800 performances will be held on the sea stage, which is
200 times the size of a soccer field.