Korean Island Promotion Agency to Significantly Strengthen 'Communication' with Island Residents This Year

'13th On-site Island Forum' Held at Gageodo

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] The Korea Island Development Institute (KIDI, President Oh Dongho) is significantly strengthening communication with island residents.

On the 11th, KIDI announced that it will enhance this year’s ‘Visiting Island Field Forum’ and officially operate the Task Force (TF) team for issue response and the regional cooperation officer system.

President Oh Dongho held this year’s first ‘Island Field Forum’ at the Gageo Branch Office in Heuksan-myeon, Sinan-gun on the same day.

Through the ‘13th Visiting Island Field Forum,’ opinions were gathered from island residents of Gageo Island, which has about 300 households, island field activists, and related public officials.

On that day, Jo Unchan, head of the fishing village association, Kim Hwaja, president of the senior citizens’ association, and Lim Seguk, a resident representative, attended the forum and raised demands regarding water supply issues, influx of young people, and measures to revitalize tourism.

Following the forum, KIDI visited the Gageo Guard Unit (Commander Kim Kigap) to hear the current situation, delivered consolation items such as masks, and encouraged the efforts of on-site workers.

This forum holds even greater significance as it was held at the southernmost point of South Korea.

Previously, KIDI selected Gageo Island as ‘Island of the Month’ for January as well as ‘Island of the Year 2023.’

KIDI, along with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, selected it to raise awareness of the value of islands that play an important role in preserving maritime territory.

The ‘Visiting Island Field Forum’ was established to discover policies and promotion projects by communicating on-site with island residents, island field activists, and island experts.

It is also a venue to build communication and cooperation channels with local government departments responsible for island policies.

This year’s ‘Island Field Forum’ will be enhanced through the introduction of management cards and the establishment of a feedback system.

Additionally, to strengthen communication with island residents, the regional cooperation officer system will be operated. It plans to analyze and respond to island-related issues and concerns by local governments.

Along with this, a TF team for island issue response has also been formed. The TF team operates a call center to listen to island residents’ opinions and analyzes domestic and international issues to reflect them in policies.

Oh Dongho, president of the Korea Island Development Institute, said, “We will not become ‘Yeonmokguo’ (緣木求魚), meaning trying to catch fish by climbing a tree, but will visit the field and look closely at the realistic lives of island residents,” adding, “We will do our best to strengthen communication with island residents so that their voices can be reflected in policies.”

Meanwhile, the ‘Island Field Forum’ started in November 2021 with the first session held at Jeungdo and Jaeundo in Sinan, Jeollanam-do, and has since been held at ▲Gijeom and Soakdo in Sinan, Jeollanam-do (2nd session) and Wonsando in Boryeong, Chungcheongnam-do (3rd session) in February last year ▲Sandaldo in Geoje, Gyeongsangnam-do (4th session) in April ▲Geumodo in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do (5th session) in June ▲Godaedo in Boryeong, Chungcheongnam-do (6th session) in July ▲Seonyudo in Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do (7th session) in August ▲Ulleungdo in Gyeongsangbuk-do (8th session) and Chujado in Jeju (9th session) in September ▲Yokjido in Tongyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do (10th session) in October ▲Jawoldo in Ongjin, Incheon (11th session) in November ▲Yeondo in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do (12th session) in December.