Bungeo Island Ecological Park and Okjeongho Suspension Bridge
Record Visitor Numbers in the First Half of the Year
Imsil County in North Jeolla Province, celebrating the Year of Visit this year, has established itself as a nationally popular tourist destination, with Okjeongho Suspension Bridge and Bungeo Island Ecological Park attracting the highest number of visitors ever recorded in the first half of the year.
Imsil County, celebrating the Year of Visit this year, has seen the highest number of tourists in the first half of the year ever at Okjeongho Suspension Bridge and Bungeo Island Ecological Park, establishing itself as a nationally popular tourist destination. Provided by Imsil County
According to the county on June 30, a total of 248,312 people paid to cross the Okjeongho Suspension Bridge and enter Bungeo Island Ecological Park during the four months from March 1, when the park reopened, to the end of June.
This figure surpasses the 247,564 visitors recorded during the same period last year and greatly exceeds the 175,243 visitors during the same period in 2023, following the temporary opening in October 2022, making it the highest number since the opening.
In particular, unlike last March when the park was open for free for a month, this year it has been operating as a paid attraction since March. As a result, the actual number of visitors has increased even further, and the county expects to break last year’s total visitor record of approximately 460,000. Reflecting this trend, on May 25 alone, more than 9,300 people visited in a single day, setting a new record for the highest number of daily visitors since opening.
In fact, during the free opening in March last year, there were 60,156 visitors. This year, with even more visitors paying for admission, operating revenue has surged. By the end of June this year, ticket sales revenue reached 782 million won, a 182% increase compared to 431 million won during the same period last year. This popularity is attributed to Okjeongho Bungeo Island Ecological Park becoming widely recognized as a tourist attraction not only in North Jeolla Province but across the country.
It is analyzed that the influx of tourists was driven by word of mouth from visitors and by tourists posting photos of themselves with the seasonal flowers and beautiful scenery of Bungeo Island Ecological Park on their personal social media. The county government’s new media team actively promoted tourism through SNS, achieving an impressive 1.8 million views in the first half of the year.
The media officer’s strategy to maximize exposure through broadcasting, newspapers, telecommunications, and the internet, along with aggressive marketing for the ‘2025 Imsil Year of Visit,’ also played a significant role.
The grandeur of the 420-meter-long Okjeongho Suspension Bridge, the cherry blossom festival, and the vibrant seasonal flowers attracted tourists through various online and offline channels.
In particular, as Korea enters the era of 15 million pet owners, the park began allowing visitors to bring pets for the first time, responding to the growing pet culture. As a result, the range of visitors has expanded beyond families to couples and the senior generation, transforming the site into an even hotter tourist destination that can be enjoyed by all generations.
Building on these achievements, the county has arranged 24 types of flowering plants, including globe amaranth and Lythrum salicaria, and 215 flower boxes to create beautiful landscapes at Yosan Park and Bungeo Island Ecological Park. In addition, the county is managing a variety of seasonal flowers, including hydrangeas and crape myrtles expected to bloom in July, followed by chrysanthemums in the fall. The county is also continuously expanding facilities such as parking lots, food zones, rest areas, and trails around Bungeo Island.
In particular, this coming October, the Bungeo Island Ecological Park is expected to be beautifully decorated with colorful chrysanthemums to coincide with the Imsil N Cheese Festival.
County Governor Shim Min said, "I would like to thank the many tourists from all over the country who have visited Bungeo Island Ecological Park and Okjeongho Suspension Bridge since the reopening during this Year of Visit. We will do our utmost to expand various convenience facilities and offer spectacular seasonal flower landscapes throughout the year, so that even more people from all over the country can fully enjoy a healing tourism experience at Bungeo Island, located on the beautiful Okjeongho Lake."
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