Geommundo, Baengnyeongdo, Ulleungdo, Heuksando, Bangchukdo, etc.
Approximately 10 billion KRW per island, total support of 50 billion KRW
The government has designated five islands as 'K-Tourism Islands' and plans to develop them into tourist destinations that people around the world want to visit.
On the 16th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it will invest a total of 50 billion won over four years to develop five islands, including Geomundo and Ulleungdo, into 'K-Tourism Islands' that attract global visitors.
The 'K-Tourism Island Development Project' is being launched for the first time this year. The plan is to combine K-Culture with low-density, pristine islands that emphasize relaxation and experiential travel trends, turning them into representative tourist destinations of Korea.
Through a public contest, five islands were selected as K-Tourism Islands: Geomundo, Maldo·Myeongdo·Bangchukdo, Baengnyeongdo, Ulleungdo, and Heuksando. Each of these five islands will receive a budget of around 10 billion won, including national and local government funds.
Through this project, a public-private cooperative promotion system involving local residents, regional activists, tourism operators, and local governments will be established to develop tourism resources and content, and to enhance tourism convenience and services.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will provide customized consulting tailored to the characteristics of each island from the preparation stage of the basic plan until the project is completed.
Baengnyeongdo, Ulleungdo, and Heuksando will be promoted in connection with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s '6th Comprehensive Airport Development Plan' under the 'Island Small Airport Construction Project.'
The islands targeted for airport construction will be developed through collaboration between the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and other ministries. For Baengnyeongdo (Ongjin-gun), Ulleungdo (Ulleung-gun), and Heuksando (Sinan-gun), the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will build island airports, while the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will expand tourism infrastructure considering the characteristics of each island.
The two ministries will cooperate to introduce an integrated transportation service platform and, together with local governments, establish a tourism activation cooperation network to prepare for a surge in tourists following the opening of the airports.
Kim Sang-wook, Director of Tourism Industry Policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, “The islands selected through this contest will be reborn as more enjoyable tourist destinations with their distinctive natural environments and cultures,” adding, “We will maximize the effect of tourism products by integrating tourism with K-Culture.”
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