The Upcoming 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo... Preparations Progressing Smoothly

Progress Reviewed by Organizing Committee, Yeosu City, and Production Director at Status Report Meeting
Enhanced On-Site Response Across Exhibitions, Events, Safety, and Transportation

Jeonnam Governor Kim Youngrok is presiding over the "2026 Yeosu World Island Expo Progress Report Meeting" on the 13th at the Seo Jae-pil Room of the provincial office. Provided by Jeonnam Province

On January 13, Jeonnam Province held a progress report meeting for the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo at the Seo Jae-pil Room of the provincial office. The province, together with Yeosu City and the organizing committee, launched a "One Team" system to ensure the successful hosting of the expo, aiming to enhance collaboration and on-site responsiveness across sectors such as exhibitions, events, safety, and transportation.

The meeting, presided over by Jeonnam Governor Kim Youngrok, was attended by the Deputy Mayor of Yeosu, heads of 18 departments of Jeonnam Province, the Yeosu World Islands Expo Organizing Committee, the production director, and a total of 30 participants.

Participants reviewed the progress of the expo, focusing on the support task force of Jeonnam Province, Yeosu City, and the organizing committee, and discussed ways to strengthen sectoral cooperation and on-site response capabilities.

In particular, they shared updates on all aspects of the expo, including the creation of the main event venue and exhibition spaces, exhibition, production, and content, event, performance, and experience programs, promotion and attracting visitors, international cooperation, and safety management and transportation measures. They also focused on discussing interdepartmental collaboration and support strategies.

The construction of infrastructure and exhibition spaces at the main event venue has surpassed 40% completion. The plan is to finish major facilities by July, conduct trial operations in August, and officially begin operations in September. The landmark (main pavilion) will serve as a symbolic space for the expo, combining an exterior media facade with immersive exhibitions. Construction will begin this month, with efforts to maximize quality before the opening.

Exhibition content development is also accelerating. Seven exhibition halls, including the Island Marine Ecology Hall, Island Future Hall, and Island Joint Hall, will showcase the value of islands across environment, technology, culture, and industry. Content production will be completed by April, with installation and rehearsals starting in May. The Island Theme Zone and Art Photo Zone will be completed by July to maximize visitor experience and promotional impact through SNS exposure.

Programs for events, performances, and hands-on experiences are also being launched in earnest. Centered around the D-50 commemorative event and the opening and closing ceremonies, the expo will feature world island cultural performances, island performing arts festivals, and nighttime shows, operating both daytime and nighttime programs to enhance the expo as a stay-type event. Island camping and spot tours will take place on Gaedo and Geomundo, while an international academic conference will be held at the Yeosu World Expo venue, providing a platform for island policy and international cooperation.

Efforts to attract visitors and strengthen international accessibility are also accelerating. Jeonnam Province aims to attract 3 million visitors by implementing group visitor strategies that link domestic school trips and corporate/institutional training programs. For overseas promotion, the province will utilize networks of participating countries and overseas branches of the Korea Tourism Organization for targeted marketing.

Safety management and transportation measures for the expo were also key topics of discussion. The organizing committee, related agencies, and the operating agency will establish a proactive safety management system, and approximately 491 staff and volunteers will be systematically trained and managed. In terms of transportation, the plan is to secure a total of 7,800 parking spaces, deploy up to 60 shuttle buses on weekends, and separate the routes for private vehicles and shuttle buses to enhance both accessibility and safety at the venue.

The 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo, under the theme "Connecting Islands, the Sea, and the Future," will be held for two months from September 5 to November 4. As the world’s first international event dedicated to islands, it is expected to serve as a catalyst for establishing Jeonnam as a leading marine tourism destination.

Governor Kim Youngrok stated, "If Gwangju and Jeonnam are integrated in July, the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo will be the first mega event for the newly unified region. As the foundational preparations for the main venue and exhibition production are progressing smoothly, I urge everyone to thoroughly check all areas by July to ensure this becomes an unprecedentedly successful expo."