Until September 1...
"Facility Safety Inspection and Maintenance Work"
Oksungho Suspension Bridge and Bungeo Island Ecological Park, the representative tourist attractions of Imsil County in North Jeolla Province, will be temporarily closed for about 40 days from the 21st to September 1st.
Oksungho Suspension Bridge and Bungeo Island Ecological Park, the representative tourist attractions of Imsil County, will be temporarily closed for about 40 days from the 21st to September 1st. Provided by Imsil County
On July 15th, the county announced that it had inevitably decided to temporarily close the sites in order to prevent safety accidents and minimize inconvenience to visitors, due to the construction of the multipurpose plaza on Bungeo Island.
During the temporary closure, the county plans to inspect the safety of the facilities and carry out maintenance work, with the aim of reopening the sites in a renewed state on September 2nd.
Since its reopening on March 1st this year, Oksungho Suspension Bridge has recorded over 250,000 paid visitors by the end of June. This figure surpasses the 247,564 visitors during the same period last year, and greatly exceeds the 175,243 visitors counted during the same period in 2023 after its temporary opening in October 2022, marking the highest number of visitors since the bridge opened.
In particular, considering that the site was open free of charge for a month in March last year, while this year it has been charging admission since March, the actual number of visitors has increased even more. The county expects that this year’s total number of visitors will surpass last year’s record of approximately 460,000.
This popularity is attributed to the fact that Oksungho Bungeo Island Ecological Park has become widely recognized as a major tourist destination not only in North Jeolla Province but also nationwide. Tourists have been visiting steadily not only on weekends but also on weekdays, clearly demonstrating the popularity of both Oksungho Suspension Bridge and Bungeo Island. The opening of a local specialty store and a cafe in October last year to address the lack of convenience facilities also contributed to the increase in visitors.
The grandeur of the 420-meter-long Oksungho Suspension Bridge, the cherry blossom festival, and the colorful seasonal flowers have attracted tourists through a variety of online and offline channels.
With the era of 15 million pet owners, the park has responded to the growing pet culture by allowing pets to enter for the first time, which has expanded the visitor base from families to couples and the senior generation, transforming the park into an even more popular destination that can be enjoyed by all generations.
To minimize inconvenience to visitors during the closure, the county is focusing on publicity through various means, including media and social media announcements, banners in nearby areas, and official cooperation requests to local governments across the country.
County Governor Shim Min stated, "While it is important for Oksungho Suspension Bridge and Bungeo Island Ecological Park to provide enjoyment to visitors, above all, safety must be the top priority," adding, "We ask for your understanding that this temporary closure is an unavoidable decision for the safety of visitors and for better facility improvements."
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