Jeju to Be Promoted at Yeosu Island Expo as Island Day Baton Passes to Seongsan Next Year

[Financial News Jeju=Reporter Jung Yong-bok] Jeju Province will use the World Island Exhibition Yeosu Korea as a stage to promote its outlying islands, including Chujado, Udo, Biyangdo Island, Gapado Island, and Marado Island, along with haenyeo culture, while building interest in the 8th Island Day, which will be held in Jeju in 2027.
According to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province on the 30th, the province will operate a Jeju promotional booth at the 2026 World Island Exhibition Yeosu Korea, which will be held in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, from Sept. 5 to Oct. 4.
The World Island Exhibition Yeosu Korea will run for two months from Sept. 5 to Nov. 4. Under the theme "Islands Connect the Sea and the Future," it will be held in the Jinmo District of Dolsan Island, Gaedo Island, Geumodo Island, and the Yeosu World Expo Site.
National and local governments, international organizations, public institutions, and companies will participate to explore the ecology, culture, industry, and sustainable future of islands.
Jeju's key message is the diverse lives and cultures of the many islands scattered around Jeju Province, rather than the image of it as a single large island. The promotional booth will introduce the natural scenery, local lifestyles, and regional characteristics of major outlying islands such as Chujado Islands, Udo, Biyangdo Island, Gapado Island, and Marado Island.
Jeju haenyeo culture will also be featured as a major content item. Combining diving skills performed without separate oxygen equipment, knowledge of the sea, and community traditions, Jeju haenyeo culture was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2016.
Jeju is not limiting its participation in the island expo to tourism promotion alone because of Island Day in 2027.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) finalized Jeju as the host city for the 8th Island Day, which will be held in August 2027, in July. Island Day is a national commemorative day designated every Aug. 8 to highlight the value and importance of islands, and the event is held on a rotating basis across island regions nationwide.
The event began in 2019 in Mokpo and Sinan County, South Jeolla Province, and later moved to Tongyeong, Okdo-myeon in Gunsan, Ulleung, Boryeong, and Wando County. This year's 7th event was held in Yeosu.
In 2027, Jeju will take over the baton. During the selection process, MOIS highly valued the natural scenery around the lawn plaza of Seongsan Ilchulbong Tuff Cone, the event infrastructure, and Jeju's experience in hosting international conferences and cultural events.
The ministry also cited Jeju's ability to connect Seongsan Ilchulbong Tuff Cone and the sea with its outlying islands, including Udo, Gapado Island, Marado Island, Biyangdo Island, and Chujado Islands, as well as haenyeo culture and marine ecology.
For Jeju, this year's World Island Exhibition Yeosu Korea is effectively a pre-promotion stage, one year ahead of the 2027 event, to introduce Jeju to island residents and visitors nationwide as the next host city.
The World Island Exhibition is an international event that covers the ecology, culture, industry, and future potential of islands around the world. Island Day, by contrast, is a major domestic island event centered on a national commemorative day established to promote the value and importance of Korea's islands. Jeju plans to link the two events and showcase island content in the Jeju style, covering not only island tourism but also maritime culture, ecology, and local communities.
Kim Jong-su, director of Jeju Province's Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Bureau, said, "We will promote the value of Jeju's major islands and maritime culture at the World Island Exhibition Yeosu Korea and continue building interest until Jeju hosts the 8th Island Day in 2027."


[email protected] Reporter Jung Yong-bok Reporter