Haenam-gun Useong Reborn as a 'Southwest Region Tourism Landmark'

Development of Infrastructure such as Skywalk and Marine Cable Car... Expected to Become a Hub for Experiential Tourism

Ulldolmok Cable Car Bird's-eye View (Photo by Haenam-gun)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Hyun] Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do announced on the 25th that it plans to complete various infrastructure projects within the year to develop the Usuyeong area, the victorious site of the Battle of Myeongnyang, into an experiential tourism hub, drawing attention to the transformation of the historical and cultural tourist site Usuyeong.

The Uldolmok Skywalk will be completed in June, and the marine cable car will begin operation in September. Infrastructure projects such as the construction of a historical tourism village to expand food options and the Humanities House to be built at the birthplace of Beopjeong Monk are also being accelerated.

The Uldolmok Skywalk, with a total length of 110 meters, will be a place where visitors can walk directly over the swirling sea and the strong currents of Uldolmok, designed in a circular shape inspired by Ganggangsullae (a traditional Korean circle dance).

It will protrude 32 meters straight out towards the sea, and the floor will be made of transparent glass to maximize the thrill. The construction progress has surpassed 70%, and it is scheduled to be completed in June.

The Uldolmok marine cable car, spanning the 960-meter strait between Haenam and Jindo, is also scheduled to open in September, aiming to operate before the Myeongnyang Battle Festival.

Twenty-six 10-passenger gondolas will operate, and boarding stations will be constructed on a 1,854㎡ site (1 basement floor, 3 above-ground floors) in the Usuyeong tourist area of Haenam-gun and a 504㎡ site (1 basement floor, 1 above-ground floor) at Nokjin Tower in Jindo-gun.

This course is attracting attention as it allows visitors to experience the true essence of Uldolmok, the victorious site of Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s Battle of Myeongnyang during the Imjin War, where 13 Korean ships defeated 133 Japanese vessels.

Alongside this, projects to expand food infrastructure for tourists, such as the historical tourism village and the Humanities House being built at the birthplace of Beopjeong Monk, are also progressing rapidly.

The Usuyeong Historical Tourism Village will create commercial facilities to supplement the insufficient food amenities within the Usuyeong tourist area. The detailed design service is underway, aiming for completion next year.

In connection with this, food tourism content development for visitors and a rest area for tourist bus drivers, which will play a significant role in attracting tourists, are also being established. The Haenam Humanities House honoring Beopjeong Monk, a native of Munnae-myeon Usuyeong, will be completed this year.

Based on the philosophy of Beopjeong Monk, who advocated “non-possession,” an empty chair symbolizing Beopjeong Monk will be placed at the birthplace site, and a small library consisting of his belongings and books will be built along with an observatory. It is scheduled for completion in June and opening in the second half of the year.

The county expects that once the Uldolmok Skywalk and marine cable car are operational and various infrastructure facilities are completed, the Usuyeong tourist site, which previously lacked experiential attractions, will be revitalized and reborn as a prominent historical and cultural experiential tourism hub.

County Governor Myeong Hyun-gwan stated, “Usuyeong, which had a strong image as a traditional historical tourism site and a sacred place for national defense, is expected to become a vibrant tourist destination with various experiential facilities. We will do our best to establish it as a landmark of tourism in the southwestern region through steady project implementation.”

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