Wando Judo, Home to Over 130 Evergreen Species, Selected as 'Uninhabited Island of the Month'

Judo Island in Wando, Jeollanam-do, has been selected as the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' 'Uninhabited Island of the Month.'

According to the Korea Island Development Institute (KIDI, Director Odongho) on the 8th, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has been selecting the 'Uninhabited Island of the Month' since August 2017. With the launch of KIDI, it was agreed that from this year onward, joint promotion would be conducted to enhance the value and awareness of uninhabited islands.

Judo Island in Wando is an uninhabited island with an elevation of 26 meters, a length of 170 meters, and an area of 17,355 square meters, located 0.1 km from Wando Port.

The island can be easily viewed from the pier, and its overall shape resembles a round bead, which is why it was named 'Judo (珠島),' meaning 'Bead Island.'

Currently, due to long-term erosion, the island appears heart-shaped from the air, earning it the nickname 'Heart Island.'

The entire island is covered with approximately 137 species of evergreen forests, including Camellia japonica, Ilex integra, and Machilus thunbergii, remaining green throughout the year. It was designated as Natural Monument No. 28 in 1962 and is protected.

Along the coast, marine invertebrates such as the brown flower sea anemone, sea urchins, turban snails, rock beard algae, and barnacles inhabit the area.

Since the Joseon Dynasty, the island has been a protected mountain (Bongsan), prohibiting tree logging, and access by the general public has been restricted to preserve the evergreen forest, allowing the island to maintain its primeval forest appearance.

Judo Island is designated as an absolute preservation uninhabited island restricted area under the Uninhabited Island Act. Entry for management and academic purposes requires permission from the Cultural Heritage Administration.

Odongho, Director of the Korea Island Development Institute, said, “Starting with the joint promotion of the Uninhabited Island of the Month in March, we plan to discover and collaborate on various island-related projects with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. With increasing public interest in uninhabited islands, we will expand the value of our territory and conservation.”

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