Wando-gun Offers 20% Boarding Discount for Jeju Residents Traveling to Cheongsando

From January 1 Next Year, One Year of Regional Exchange and Tourism Revitalization Expected

Wando Cheongsando Heart Gaemaegi Experience Center (Photo by Wando-gun)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyung-pil] Wando County, Jeollanam-do (Governor Shin Woo-cheol) and Cheongsan Nonghyup (President Cha Dong-ak) announced on the 15th that they will promote a passenger ferry boarding discount for Jeju residents traveling to Cheongsan Island for one year starting January 1 next year to encourage visits and travel by Jeju residents to Cheongsan Island.

Currently, the round-trip fare for passengers departing from Wando Passenger Terminal to Cheongsan Island is 14,000 KRW, and from next year, Jeju residents will be able to travel to Cheongsan Island with a 20% discount benefit.

According to a tourist analysis service commissioned by Wando County to KT last year, the total number of tourists to Cheongsan Island last year was 790,000, with the largest number of visitors residing in Jeju Island, accounting for 8% of all tourists, which led to the promotion of the boarding discount benefit.

Meanwhile, Cheongsan Island and Jeju Island share a deep connection. Cheongsan Island, nicknamed the "Little Jeju Island," retains old charm with similarities such as stone wall paths, canola flowers and barley fields, agriculture, and traditional lifestyles. While Cheongsan Island has the Slow Road, Jeju Island has the Olle Trail, and on clear days, Jeju Island can even be seen from Cheongsan Island.

A love story of a man and woman from 250 years ago is also passed down. According to "Pyohaerok (漂海錄)," designated as Jeju Island Tangible Cultural Property No. 27 and regarded as a masterpiece of maritime literature, a Jeju man named Jang Han-cheol was heading to the mainland to take the civil service exam when he was shipwrecked by a storm.

He miraculously survived and reached Cheongsan Island, where he met and fell in love with a woman, but they parted forever when Jang Han-cheol left.

This year, 250 years later, a heart-shaped Gaemaegi (a type of traditional fishing net) experience center depicting their love story has been installed on Cheongsan Island, attracting much interest from tourists.

Also, haenyeo (female divers) can be seen on Cheongsan Island; at their peak, there were over 300, most of whom had come from Jeju Island.

A county official stated, "We plan to explore various ways to revitalize tourism and promote exchange between the two regions through this Jeju resident boarding discount."

The passenger ferry from Wando to Cheongsan Island operates six times a day starting with the first boat at 7 a.m. during winter, and the travel time is about 50 minutes.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.