Gyeongbuk Province Hosts First National Commemoration 'Island Day' Event in Ulleungdo

August 8, 2023 Confirmed for the 4th Island Day Event

Ulleungdo.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Dong-guk] Ulleung-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, has been finally selected as the host of the ‘2023 4th Island Day Event’ organized by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

Island Day is a legally designated commemorative day held annually on August 8th. Through commemorative events, it serves as a platform for the public to understand and empathize with islands by promoting island development policies and various cultural and experiential activities. This year marks the third anniversary of the event.

The Island Day events were previously held in 2019 for the 1st event (Mokpo and Sinan), 2021 for the 2nd event (Tongyeong), and 2022 for the 3rd event (Gunsan).

The selection of this year’s host site was finalized after on-site inspections of three candidate regions through a public contest targeting local governments possessing islands.

Gyeongbuk Province and Ulleung-gun expressed strong enthusiasm for hosting by emphasizing the rarity and historical significance of Ulleungdo and Dokdo, which are ecotourism islands blessed by nature, their accessibility, future development potential, and event plans that share values with the public.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety highly evaluated Ulleungdo, known as the ‘Beautiful Mysterious Island,’ for its advantages in promoting ‘islands’ and ‘Island Day’ as a representative island tourist destination loved by many citizens.

Gyeongsangbuk-do plans to designate the period from August 8th to August 15th, Liberation Day, as the Year of Visiting Ulleungdo and Dokdo during next year’s event, going beyond simply holding the Island Day event to promote the value and importance of Dokdo.

To this end, various events such as the Ulleungdo-Dokdo International Walking Competition, Squid Festival, Beach Song Festival, Mountain Biking Challenger Competition, Dokdo Harmony Concert, and Dokdo Taekwondo Performance will be held to create a festival that all citizens can enjoy.

Dokdo.

Gyeongbuk Province plans to sign a business agreement with the Korea Island Promotion Agency, which is responsible for the preservation and sustainable development of the humanities and ecological resources of island cultural zones such as Ulleungdo and Dokdo, in July.

Through this, they will jointly conduct research to utilize and enhance the value of island ecology, culture, history, and resources, and cooperate to increase income, improve welfare, and revitalize tourism in island regions.

Governor Lee Cheol-woo said, “Next year’s Island Day event will be the first national commemorative event held in Ulleung-gun,” adding, “It will be an opportunity for Ulleungdo and Dokdo, the first marine protected areas on the East Coast, to come closer to the public and to be reborn as internationally renowned premium tourist islands. We will actively support this.”