SEOUL, KOREA - Yeosu Expo, which kicked off on May 11th, is the first international exposition held in South Korea in 19 years. Daejeon Expo in 1993 was the first international exposition held in Korea.
Both events are certified by BIE (Bureau International des Expositions). International expositions are divided into two large events. The World Expo is held every five years while the International/Specialized Expo is held in between. The World Expo focuses on broad themes that reflect all humankind and their vision, whereas the International Expo focuses on more specific fields. The initial World Expo was held in London, England in 1851. This event, which was held in the Crystal Palace was launched with the purpose of showcasing and promoting trade between each nation’s state-of-the-art technology.
The early expositions (1851-1930) were events where each nation celebrated its own technology, power and development with monumental inventions. During the London Expo, the world’s first toilet bowls were installed in a public toilet. People who visited the Expo were able to use the toilet bowl by paying 1 cent. In the Philadelphia Expo, held in 1876, the telephone was introduced. Alexander Graham Bell developed his magnetic telephone and obtained the necessary patent.
Early modern expositions (1931-1990) generally were featured as testing grounds for urban engineering and construction, centered on urban development strategies. Recent modern expositions (1991-) are held with themes linking common human interests by focusing on natural development and urban recycling, both of which strongly affect human interests in nature and the environment.
It was during the Paris World Expo in 1889 that Korea first officially participated. We submitted handicrafts such as Korean traditional hats, ramie fabric, and palanquins. As Korea has achieved remarkable growth throughout the past 100 years, the nation was able to host the Daejeon Expo in 1993 and the Yeosu Expo in 2012.
Yeosu Expo Kicks Off 93-day Journey
Starting with a variety of events on the eve of the Expo surrounding Yeosu New Port on the 11th,, the 2012 Yeosu World Expo launched its fair with much fanfare. It is a grand event that lasts 93 days up until August 12th. 104 countries including Korea, 10 international organizations including the UN, 23 local governments, and Korea’s leading companies will participate in the fair.
“The Living Ocean and Coast” is the central theme of Yeosu Expo. Visions for possible solutions to environmental problems and sustainable development are being displayed, as well as state-of-the-art technology. The Yeosu Expo features four specialized attractions including the nation’s biggest aquarium, the BIG-O floating stage, Sky Tower, and Expo Digital Gallery, on top of 76 major exhibition halls.
The opening ceremony featured large-scale dynamic performances including BIG-O show on the floating state, attracting the attention of dignitaries both within and outside of the country. Sky Tower, one of the Expo’s main attractions, announced its opening with the sound of boat horn and various parades, orchestras, traditional performances and k-pop singers adding excitement and a touching impression for the visitors.
The highlight of the opening ceremony was the BIG-O show. It included laser shows where various images were projected on a water screen, which are the world’s first holograms, fountain shows and fireworks. It expressed the ocean as a place of life and vision, greatness and excitement. A member of the organizational committee said, “We prepared a variety of cultural and art events including performances on the floating stage and the BIG-O show.”
There are seven must-see attractions in Yeosu Expo. The first one is called ‘Marine Craft’, which is a futuristic car designed from seaweed exhibited in Marine Industry & Technology. Second, the blizzard in Climate & Environment Pavilion enables you to experience a virtual snow storm emulating South Pole’s ice tunnel. Unlike other fish tanks, the Aquarium, Marine Life Pavilion which is modeled on Amazon Rainforest, is a water tank with natural lighting. The 3-D Dome Screen in Korean Pavilion is another attraction. The Super Graphic Wall in Theme Pavilion materializes the artificial space with surging waves from 360 degrees in the form of a super graphic. NFC (Near Field Communication) smart life hall demonstrates the advantages of mobile card payment service. In DSME Marine Robot Pavilion, 73 robots are ready to substitute for man to explore and mine natural resources i at depths up to 6000m below level.
Korea solidified its status as an IT power
Yeosu Expo is a ubiquitous expo (u-Expo). It has put forth a lot of effort into building IT infrastructure for the optimal operation of the events. The organizing committee added cutting edge IT technology to every facet of the Expo venue to host a ‘u-Expo’ for the first time in the world. Various functions using GPS and wireless networks are available including reserving an exhibition hall, sightseeing, parking information, locating friends, and locating your vehicle. SK C&C took charge of building IT infrastructure as well as designing the u-Expo integrated information system.
It is also remarkable that a RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag is attached to every admission ticket. RFID is applied to manage ticket production, reservation or on-site purchases, provide access to and reservation of the exhibition hall. Yeosu Expo also has a system linked to the RFID that automatically collects the information of visitors’ entering and exiting, which helps to anticipate the congestion and broadcast the expected time required to maneuver through the exhibition. RFID tags are also attached to some 670 devices used to run the Expo. This integrated management allows employees to easily view the whole process including supply, distribution, and disposal and coordinate accordingly.
Visitors can enjoy the u-expo by downloading the application “Expo 2012” with their smart phones. The new technology such as RFID and NFC found throughout the venue contributes to the convenience for the visitors. It allows them to gain access to any information anywhere if they read QR code and NFC with their smart phones.
The portal site for the exhibition served in five languages is also linked to smart phone based mobile service. In the portal site, visitors can undergo virtual experiences of major exhibition halls, service facilities, sculpture and other artwork in and outside of the buildings by operating simple characters in 3D space. Just like playing 3D games, visitors can design their own courses with the map of the whole exhibition venue, search and enjoy the exhibition facilities via simulation, find public facilities and amenities, and experience and operate the displays. Expo Digital Gallery(EDG), a huge canopy with an LED screen, is considered another remarkable structure that simultaneously link nature and humanity together using ICT.
Yeosu Expo installed the world’s biggest 10GB optic network and 288 wireless AP (access point) not to mention 3G, LTE, and Wifi, which has created an extremely advanced communications environment. With its three major control centers, KT, the major communications distributor for the Yeosu Expo, announced that it will introduce advanced Korean communications skills to the world with a high-speed communications network designed to never break down. LG U-plus connects the park-and-ride lots outside of the fair and the shuttle buses running around the nearby bus stops with LTE network system, providing the expo traffic control center with data including the overall conditions, speed, and running distance of the vehicles as well as whereabouts of the buses (via GPS), and manage crew members and passengers in real time.
However, Yeosu Expo is not without criticism due to low turnout and empty exhibition halls during the first few days following its official kickoff. The organizing committee for the Yeosu Expo, which was expected to be a true global exposition, didn’t fully support overseas promotion activities, which has resulted in low turnouts of foreign visitors. Moreover, the few foreign travelers who attend the expo have trouble making reservations for accommodations during their stay, which again shows the lack of preparations. Yeosu, a city of 300,000 people, has many beautiful coastal views and tourist attractions, but the infrastructure for traffic and accommodations is not fully developed yet. This is one big loophole which should not have been overlooked for the host city of an international exposition.
