Chairman Sukwan Park: "Government Support Is Essential... We Will Do Our Best for a Successful Expo"
The 2026 Yeosu World Island Expo Organizing Committee, a foundation, is accelerating its preparations for the event as it marks D-500 days. Last month, the committee appointed a new Secretary General and launched overseas promotional activities, such as inviting ambassadors from foreign embassies in Korea for a familiarization tour. Now, it is also ramping up its domestic promotional efforts.
The main venue, Jinmo District in Dolsan, covers 55,000 pyeong. Last month, land leveling work was completed. The site was raised an average of 2 meters above the road to prevent problems even in heavy rain.
Before full-scale facility construction begins, the organizing committee is currently conducting a design service that includes the layout of the expo site. Once this service is completed in June, construction of the facilities is scheduled to begin in July. The committee is also planning to create an urban forest and outdoor gardens around the exhibition facilities, and these are currently under design as well.
The sub-venues are the Yeosu World Expo site, Gaedo, and Geumo-do. The Island Fishing Village Culture Center being built on Gaedo has completed land reclamation and is on track for completion by March next year. Around the Island Fishing Village Culture Center, a campground and park are being constructed to allow visitors to experience and feel the island atmosphere.
On Geumo-do, which is renowned for its beautiful seascape, the committee is carrying out maintenance and improvement work to allow visitors to enjoy island camping and trekking along five different Bireonggil trails, totaling 18.5 kilometers.
The main venue in Jinmo District, Dolsan, will feature a total of eight exhibition halls. The Theme Pavilion, which will embody the expo’s theme of "Connecting Islands, the Sea, and the Future," will be established as the landmark of the event. Through media art and LED graphic signage, the limitless value of islands and the sea will be showcased.
The Island Marine Ecology Pavilion and Island Future Pavilion will present the crises facing islands and future energy technologies. The Island Joint Pavilion and Island Culture Pavilion will display the characteristics of islands from around the world. Products and food made using island resources can be experienced at the Island Market Pavilion and Island Restaurant.
An Island Playground, a hands-on zone for visitors of all ages, will also be created. The organizing committee recently finalized key projects that will demonstrate the value and vision of the expo’s theme. The "Island Landmark" will be established as the signature symbol of the expo.
The landmark Theme Pavilion will feature an immersive media tunnel to convey the sustainable value of islands and their role as future living spaces. As part of the core content reflecting the main theme, the "World Island City Conference," involving global island scholars, will be held to build cooperation and networks among island cities worldwide.
For island experiences, the committee has prepared the "Yeosu Island Tour," as well as camping and trekking programs. It is also promoting the operation of a "Coastal Island Cruise," allowing visitors to enjoy and explore the ria coastlines of the southern coast.
A variety of exhibitions and cultural performances are also being prepared. "Legends of the Islands, Songs of the Islands" will present the legends, history, and culture of islands through humanities storytelling and performances. The "World Islands, Korean Islands Theme Zone" will showcase island diversity, and an "Island Symbolic Art Photo Zone" will be created with art installations.
Maritime transportation and future technologies are also key projects of the expo. Of particular note is the UAM (Urban Air Mobility) flight demonstration. As a new mode of transportation to improve island accessibility, the expo will feature an actual flight demonstration to showcase its potential.
The WIG (Wing-In-Ground effect) craft, another maritime transportation mode, combines the advantages of ships and airplanes. It is gaining attention as a future means of transportation to connect islands and the mainland, as well as to revitalize island and marine tourism.
The organizing committee aims to attract 3 million visitors from 30 countries. Official requests for cooperation have been sent to 115 countries worldwide, with 37 island-holding countries that participated in the 2012 Yeosu Expo being targeted as priority invitees.
Last year, Cebu in the Philippines became the first overseas sister city to confirm participation in the expo. In May, the committee is working to sign a participation agreement with Ha Long City in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, and Weihai in China has also expressed its intention to participate.
In March, the committee invited over 60 dignitaries, including heads of foreign diplomatic missions in Korea from 32 countries such as New Zealand, Greece, and Vietnam, for a familiarization tour. The committee is now conducting country-by-country consultations to ensure this visit leads to successful recruitment of participating countries.
In addition, the committee plans to actively attract overseas visitors by participating in the Osaka Expo in Japan and the Korea Travel Expo in Taiwan in May, as well as the Singapore Consumer Travel Fair and Malaysia International Tourism Fair in the second half of the year, and by holding overseas business briefings.
As of April 23, there will be 500 days remaining until the opening of the Island Expo. However, improving accessibility via air and rail, as well as addressing budget shortages, remain ongoing challenges.
For the successful hosting of this international event, ensuring convenient transportation for visitors is a top priority. In March, the organizing committee met with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to request permission for chartered international flights during the expo period. The committee also requested increased domestic flights and KTX train services to Yeosu.
The total project budget currently stands at 67.6 billion KRW. Compared to the 2.1 trillion KRW budget of the 2012 Expo, this is extremely insufficient for hosting an international event. National support is essential to revitalize island tourism and improve accessibility.
Chairman Sukwan Park of the organizing committee stated, "To successfully host the world’s first event themed on 'islands,' nationwide interest and support are essential. Over the next 500 days, we will do our utmost to ensure the success of the 2026 Yeosu World Island Expo by continuing to coordinate with government agencies and local governments across the country."
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