South Jeolla tourism chief lays out vision to turn region into 'global' destination for 'healing and wellness'

Jeollanamdo Tourism Organization CEO Kim Young-sin speaks during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily at the JW Marriott Hotel in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Dec. 22. [PARK SANG-MOON]

[INTERVIEW]
 
For decades, Korea's tourism industry has been heavily concentrated in and around Seoul. Now, the government is betting that the country's southern coast — stretching from Gwangju and South Jeolla to Busan and Ulsan — can become its next major growth engine.
 
A wide-area tourism initiative, the name of which roughly translates to “Southern Region Promotion Project,” is backed by the central government and aims to transform Korea’s southern coast into a globally competitive travel destination by linking broad swaths of the region through shared branding, infrastructure and travel routes. Supporters of the project say it could eventually place the area in the same conversation as destinations like Cancun, Mexico, or the Mediterranean.
 
Jeollanamdo Tourism Organization CEO Kim Young-sin, who is charged with promoting travel to South Jeolla, shared his vision that the project “could help balance regional development through tourism” in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily at the JW Marriott Hotel in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Monday.
 

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The initiative, which brings together five regions — Gwangju, South Jeolla, Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang — began in 2021, when the South Jeolla and South Gyeongsang provincial governments proposed a joint tourism strategy to the central government, which lent its backing.
 
The plan is straightforward: Use local cultural and natural resources to encourage visitors to stay longer, spend more and move beyond the capital region. 
 
“If people stay even one additional night,” Kim said, “the economic impact changes completely.”
 

Violet Aster flowers in full bloom on Banweol Island, one of two so-called Purple Islands in Shinan County, South Jeolla, in September 2022 [MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR AND SAFETY]

 
Learning from locals
 
The Southern Region initiative is divided into two broad pillars: development and promotion. Infrastructure and physical development are handled by provincial and city governments, while tourism foundations in each region take charge of promotion, content creation and marketing.
 
In South Jeolla, Kim’s organization oversees two joint projects with other regions to develop tourism routes centered on small cities, in addition to three local initiatives that lean heavily into the province’s identity.
 

The sun sets over Jupo Hanok Village in Hampyeong County, South Jeolla, in December 2022. [YONHAP]

 
“We work around three main concepts: southern cuisine, traditional houses and stays along the Seomjin River,” he explained. “We develop tourism products based on these ideas and ultimately connect them to sales. The goal is to revitalize tourism in local communities.”
 
Unlike past tourism initiatives that were largely government-driven, the Southern Region project emphasizes collaboration among government, private businesses and academia.
 
“That meant gathering opinions took time,” Kim said. “But we couldn’t move forward without listening to local organizations and tourism experts on the ground.”
 
He pointed to Jupo Hanok Village in Hampyeong County, South Jeolla, as an example. Nestled beside the sea, the village is home to around 50 traditional Korean houses. The village’s tight-knit community necessitated extensive consultation with residents before development and promotion could move ahead.
 
“But once [the project] was completed,” Kim said, “the residents were genuinely happy. They welcome visitors warmly. That kind of response makes the entire process worthwhile.”
 

A view of Gageo Island, the southwestern-most island of Korea in the Yellow Sea [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]

 
A destination for slowing down
 
Asked to describe the main appeal of South Jeolla, Kim framed stays in the region as an antidote to the drudgery of modern life.
 
“The tourist sites here are focused on healing and wellness,” he said. “I like to think of South Jeolla as the place people come to when they’re tired [...] and just want to breathe.”
 
Choosing a single destination in the region, he admitted, is difficult. Still, given the season, he pointed to Shinan County, which includes an archipelago off South Jeolla’s western coast.
 
“You can experience nature, atmosphere and food all at once in winter in Shinan,” he said. At the county’s bonsai park, visitors can see camellias in bloom alongside prized bonsai trees. Jaeun Island, another part of Shinan, offers coastal parks ideal for watching the sun sink into the sea at the year’s end. “It’s a good place to close out a year quietly,” Kim said.
 

Visitors walk among fields of autumn flowers on Byeongpung Island in South Jeolla in October 2022. [SHINAN COUNTY]

 
Growth in culture and arts
 
Shinan’s appeal, Kim noted, lies in its differentiation. Each island in the county has its own theme. Jaeun Island is home to the Infinito Museum, designed by renowned architect Mario Botta in collaboration with Korean sculptor Park Eun-sun and set to open next year. On Docho Island, art installations by Icelandic Danish artist Olafur Eliasson dot the landscape.
 
With most islands now linked by bridges, visitors can drive rather than rely solely on ferries — a change that has significantly boosted accessibility.
 

The moon shines over the sea by Cheonsa Bridge in Shinan County, South Jeolla, in August 2019. [BAEK JONG-HYUN]

 
Investment in the future
 
Over the course of a decade, the core development project will see an investment of 3 trillion won ($2.2 billion), focused on infrastructure and physical assets. An additional 210 billion won is earmarked for promotion — finding, refining and activating what Kim calls the region’s “hidden content.”
 
Transportation, he added, will be crucial. The Dalbit high-speed rail project, aimed at linking Gwangju and Daegu, has already received approval and is under construction. Portions of the southern coastal railway between Mokpo and Busan are also complete, though talks continue over remaining sections.
 
“When these lines are finished, human exchange, logistics and tourism will all gain momentum,” Kim said.
 

A hiker looks out over the islands of Shinan County in South Jeolla in August 2019. [BAEK JONG-HYUN]

 
For Kim, the Southern Region Promotion Project is less about building something entirely new than about turning what already exists into something greater than the sum of its parts.
 
“Ultimately, I believe the southern coast has real potential to become a true global coastal tourism belt,” he said.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]