2019 Global Jeju Project brings diplomats on culture and eco tour on Jeju Island

Foreign delegates and staff who have participated in the 2019 Global Jeju Project hosted by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and the Jeju Tourism Organization pose for a photo at a tangerine farm in Hahyo village in Seogwipo, Jeju, Dec. 7, the first day of the two-day tour program on Korea's southernmost Jeju Island. Courtesy of the 2019 Global Jeju Project

30 members of diplomatic community in Seoul participate this year's tour

By Jung Da-min

JEJU ― Korea's southern-most island of Jeju is popular with tourists not only Koreans but also foreigners. More than a million tourists from abroad visit the island annually according to government data.

Seeking to further promote various tourism opportunities on Jeju, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and the Jeju Tourism Organization hosted the 2019 Global Jeju Project, inviting a group of foreign diplomats and their family members to the island for a two-day cultural experience program from Dec. 7 to 8.

Marking the third such event hosted by the local government, this year's program focused on the theme of "making," to offer the foreign delegation opportunities to experience Jeju using their five senses while making food and hiking some of Jeju's famous "olle" trails.

Upon arriving at Jeju International Airport, the delegation was greeted by Jeju Tourism Organization President Park Hong-ki. The first day started with making tangerine gwajeul, Jeju's traditional snack, at a tangerine farm in Hahyo Village in Seogwipo. Located in the southern part of the island, the village is famous for producing tasty tangerines with its warm temperature.

Participants used a brush to apply grain syrup jocheong to fried dough that had earlier been mixed with an extraction of tangerine juice. Then they put a piece of dried tangerine on one side of it and then spread popped rice on both sides. They said they enjoyed the sweet and sour taste of tangerine gwajeul.

Foreign delegates make Jeju's traditional tangerine snack, gwajeul, at a tangerine farm in Hahyo Village in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, Dec. 7. Courtesy of the 2019 Global Jeju Project

After watching a performance by a local Hong Jo Band on an outdoor stage of the farm, they walked to the village's Seosokkak Estuary, which is on the sixth of the 26 olleh trails that consist of 21 main routes and five sub-routes. Located at the mouth of Hyodon Stream that flows southward to the coast, Seosokkak is a deep estuary that alternately contains fresh water and sea water depending on the tide.

Foreign delegates look at the Seosokkak Estuary near Hahyo Village, Seogwipo, and on one the 26 olleh trails for hiking and trekking on Jeju Island, Dec. 7. Courtesy of the 2019 Global Jeju Project

The delegates also visited the Citrus Museum in Seogwipo to learn about Jeju's specialty product and experienced picking tangerines from trees at an orchard in the museum's grounds.

Foreign delegates pick tangerines from trees in an orchard in the grounds of the Citrus Museum in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, Dec. 7. Courtesy of the 2019 Global Jeju Project

A total of 30 members of the foreign diplomatic community in South Korea from 17 countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the Americas and Africa participated in the tour.

They included ambassadors to South Korea, Mohamed Alharthy of Oman, Andrei Popkov of Belarus, Adel Mohammad Adaileh of Jordan, Chafik Rachadi of Morocco, Bruno Figueroa Fischer of Mexico, Olexander Horin of Ukraine, Matilda Swilla Masuka of Tanzania, Drumus Ersin Ercin of Turkey, Abidal Islam of Bangladesh, Antoine Azzam of Lebanon, Abdul Hakim Atarud of Afghanistan, Elrayih Hydoub of Sudan, Kathos Jibao Mattai of Sierra Leone and Arturo Enrique Gil Pinto of Venezula.

Acting-ambassadors Karla Waleska Macoto Morales of Honduras and Aziz Bashir of Libya, and Uzbekistan Embassy's 1st Secretary Erkin Khodjaev also participated in the two-day tour.

"Some of us may have already visited Jeju several times, but whenever we visit Jeju and go back to Seoul, we always want to come back to Jeju," said Amb. Alharthy, the current dean of the foreign diplomatic community in South Korea, speaking during a welcome dinner held at a banquet hall in the Lotte Hotel Jeju in Seogwipo.

He praised the "beautiful nature and landscape" of the island as well as its "rich heritage and culture."

Belarusian Ambassador Andrei Popkov also spoke on behalf of the foreign delegation, noting the potential for eco-tourism on Jeju. He said the sector is becoming more important as it is the fastest growing segment in the international tourism industry.

Foreign delegates watch a dancing performance depicting Jeju Island's female divers or haenye during a welcome dinner at a banquet hall in the Lotte Hotel Jeju, Seogwipo. Courtesy of 2019 Global Jeju Project

Kim Sung-eon, vice governor for political affairs at Jeju Special Self-governing Province talked about the island's natural heritage such as the Ramsar Wetlands and cultural heritage including the famous female divers.

"We invited you all to ask how Jeju should further develop its own values. We would be happy to listen to your advice for a sustainable Jeju," Kim said.

Jeju Tourism Organization President Park also called for the diplomats to be "honorary ambassadors" for tourism on Jeju.

The Second day started with a hike along an olle trail around Suwolbong Peak, the 12th olle course, in Gosan-ri, Jeju City, where visitors could see the unique volcanic topography. Suwolbong Peak is a 77 meter-tall small oreum (hill in Jeju dialect) and called "a textbook of volcanology" as it is composed of various forms of volcanic sediment along with coastal cliffs.

Foreign delegates pose for a photo with female divers of Jeju Island at an olle trail alongside Suwolbong Peak, the 12th olle course in Gosan-ri, Jeju City, Dec. 8. Courtesy of 2019 Global Jeju Project

The delegation then visited a local distillery called Jeju Saemju located in Aewol, Jeju City, to try local liquors including omegisoool made from Jeju's specialty rice cake omegitteok and yeast and also tried making the latter.

Foreign delegates pose for a photo after making Jeju's specialty rice cake omegitteok on a visit to Saemju, a local distillery located in Aewol, Jeju City, Dec. 8. Courtesy of 2019 Global Jeju Project

They also visited the Jeju Moolmaru, a traditional bean-paste school in Hallim, Jeju City, to experience making Korean traditional chili paste gochujang. Ingredients included chili powder, fermented soybean lump powder, tangerine peel powder, Korean grain syrup or jocheong, soybeans and salt.

Lebanon Ambassador Antoine Azzam poses for a photo while making Korean traditional chili paste gochujang at the Jeju Moolmaru traditional bean-paste school in Hallim, Jeju city, Dec. 8. Courtesy of Antoine Azzam

"I really enjoyed this two-day program, it was a very fulfilling experience. I had been planning on seeing Jeju Island for a long time, and this was a great opportunity for me to finally get to know this beautiful Korean jewel," said Erkin Khodijaev of the Uzbekistan Embassy. "Additionally, it was very rewarding to collect tangerines and participate in activities such as making chili paste. At the end of the day, I had the warmest feelings from Jeju."

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