page_title: Jeju Island
section_title: Tourism
hierarchical_section_title: Jeju Island / Economy / Tourism
caption_attribution_description: English: Jeongbang Waterfall, south of Jeju Island, South Korea
context_page_description: Jeju Island is the largest island in South Korea, located in the Jeju Province. The island lies in the Korea Strait, below the Korean Peninsula, south of the South Jeolla Province. The island contains the natural world heritage site, Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes. Jeju has a moderate climate; even in winter, the temperature rarely falls below 0 °C. Jeju is a popular holiday destination and a sizable portion of the economy relies on tourism and economic activity from its civil/naval base.
context_section_description: Jeju, also known as Jeju Island is the only self-governing province in South Korea, meaning that the province is run by local natives instead of politicians from the mainland. The island of Jeju was “formed by the eruption of an underwater volcano approximately 2 million years ago.” and is home to pristine nature and exquisite beaches.
  In 1962, the South Korean government established the Korean National Tourism Corporation (KNTC) to monitor and regulate internal and external tourism and it was later renamed to the Korean National Tourism Organization (KNTO). While Korea lacks abundant natural resources, tourism is an entity that generates income nationwide for South Korea. In Jeju-do province, specifically, tourism has proven to be beneficial and has been a growing contributor to the economy. Jeju Island often compared to that of Hawaii, “is the winter destination for Asian tourist seeking warm weather and beautiful beaches.”
  The island is home to 660,000 people but hosts 15,000,000 visitors per year. English is not widely spoken in Jeju and as a matter of fact, “the local dialect is different enough from Korean that it is recognized as a distinct language.” “Until recently, Chinese travelers accounted for 80% of foreign travelers,” however, due to the installation of THAAD (The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system in Korea, Chinese travel has dwindled drastically. “THAAD is supposed to shield against North Korean missiles” however China views it as a security threat. Though in the past year [2017] tourism has declined sharply, visits to Jeju continue to be a vacation destination for Asia. There are no visa requirements for visitors staying up to 90 days and future plans to build a second international airport have been discussed. Due to the decline of visitors caused by China's travel ban to Korea due to the concern of THAAD, talks and discussions continue to be held regarding a second airport to service over 45 million people with an anticipated completion by 2035. The current Jeju International Airport is crowded, as it was designed to service 26 million people but services “30 million, which is 4 million more than it was designed to handle.” The current desire of the existing Jeju International airport includes wanting to add more direct flights, nonstop to major cities including Tokyo, Osaka, Beijing, Shanghai and Taipei.
  While the economy booms with foreign travel, residents suffer negative repercussions of Jeju tourism. “Most commercial facilities are owned by foreigners and major companies.” and in addition to increasing tourism, problems such as beach pollution, traffic, and overconsumption of underground water present a problem.
  Residents and tourists alike love the nature of the Island. It has three UNESCO World Heritage sites, is “packed with museums and theme parks and also has horses, mountains, lava tube caves, and waterfalls with clear blue ocean lapping its beaches.” The Haenyeo (Jeju female divers) harvest oysters, abalone, clams, seaweed and other marine life and their history are showcased at the island's Haenyeo museum.
  Due to extensive tourism the pollution of beaches has become a serious problem. The local government of Jeju aspires to be carbon-free by 2030. “Nearly half of all-electric cars in South Korea are registered in Jeju” and the island takes pride in their small piece of paradise.
  In addition to the aspirations of an additional airport and the expansion of tourism on the island, Jeju is home to a small technological hub. In 2005, the Jeju Science Park was created, a complex for technology companies and organizations. Since its implementation, it has attracted 117 IT and biotech companies and is home to the Daum Kakao Corporation headquarters.
  Jeju is one of the most popular surfing spots in Korea, and it is also the birthplace of Korean surfing. Some famous beaches are Weoljung Beach and Jungmun Beach. The latter is home to the first surfing club in Korea, established in 1995.
caption: Tourists in Jeju
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