( CNN ) -- While the Olympic Games in London steals the world 's attention , over 5,000 miles away another global event born from the same ideal of cultural exchange and peaceful rivalry is entering the home stretch . Rather than competition , Expo 2012 in the city of Yeosu , South Korea , is the latest incarnation of an event that officially is meant to foster international understanding ; unofficially it is used for national promotion , boosting trade and providing networking opportunities . Of the approximately 4 million visitors that will have wandered through the transformed cement port and industrial site before it closes on August 12 , most will have been there to enjoy the pavilions hosting interactive displays on ocean conservation and marine exploration -- the theme of this year 's event . But a small but notable minority will not have been there to watch the shows . For them it provides a number of chances to broker deals and reach new contacts where 104 countries can be reached in a day . `` It 's government relations really , '' said Stine L. Guldmann , director of the Denmark pavilion . `` South Korea is quite important to Denmark . It 's an opportunity to brand your country both in a tourism way but also attract skillful people or showcase our abilities . '' Denmark 's pavilion is funded by a mix of public and private money , including some Danish companies at the forefront of the renewable energy industry . Lego bricks are on hand to attract the visitors and keep them entertained , but a backroom for more grown-up meetings is regularly used . `` There has to be a reason for them both ( government and private companies ) to be here and spend money on it , '' said Guldmann . `` It 's a success if our private partners are happy with their participation and our political relations are very strong . '' The basic principle of Expos is non-commercial and educational , according to the Bureau International des Expositions ( BIE ) , the organizing body that was founded in 1928 . Yet that has not prevented a strong presence from the commercial sector , with a large part of the Yeosu site devoted to temporary pavilions from South Korea 's biggest corporations , some of which were built at a cost of more than $ 1million . `` Expos do n't provide concrete benefits for companies , '' says Lee Joon-hee , Commissioner for Expo 2012 . `` But is it still relevant ... the evidence of why they are still relevant is that a lot of companies and countries want to host Expos . '' Participant countries have different reasons to be in Yeosu . Qatar and the U.S , with strong trade and diplomatic ties to South Korea , respectively , have been two of the more popular pavilions . Earlier this year a 20-year deal for Qatar to supply South Korea with natural gas was signed between the two countries , but pavilion manager Mona Sulaiti was keen to stress that the reason for their participation at event `` is about people , not business relationships . '' Andrew Snowhite , CEO of the U.S. Pavilion , believes the event is unique in its scope and potential . `` It 's the only place where you can create something that has a critical mass around it ; it 's a very large event . It 's a big tourism opportunity for some , for others it 's about trade , '' he said . For developing countries like Angola , participation is a way to draw attention to a little known country , either as a holiday destination or potential trading partner . `` We do n't see it as being old fashioned , '' said Claudia Santana of Angola 's pavilion . `` We are building our country since 2002 ... if you search for an official tourism website in Angola you ca n't find it , so we have to find other ways to show our country . There 's a lot of work ahead for our country and this is part of it . '' For all the fostering of relationships and networking over glasses of sweet tea or Lego , ultimately the biggest tangible benefit of the event goes to Yeosu itself . The city is little known by people within South Korea let alone internationally , but around $ 2billion spent on operations and facilities from the government , BIE and private investors has completely transformed it . `` This area is relatively backwards and needs a boost , '' said Lee Joon-hee , saying it is part of a larger project to develop South Korea 's southern `` Sun Belt '' . `` It will put Yeosu on the map . We have big ambitions to be a famous marine resort area . '' Yeosu 's infrastructure has been upgraded , with new , marble-smooth roads cutting through the lush hillsides and along the coast , while the train to the capital Seoul now takes half the time it used to . While it is still undecided what will happen to most of the Expo site when it closes -- conference centers and shopping malls have been mooted -- and tourism to the region develops , there will be an immediate beneficiary of the improved infrastructure : the petrochemical industry . Just a few miles from the Expo is one of South Korea 's biggest industrial complexes that dwarfs the Expo site and is the area 's largest industry . `` For the moment we just want domestic development , '' says Lee , `` Secondary is marine resort development . ''
Expo 2012 in South Korea an unofficial business and development opportunity . Officially event is meant to foster international understanding and cooperation . Chance for interaction between governments and corporations . $ 2bn invested in area hosting the event in southern South Korea .