Jeju Olle founder posthumously awarded top cultural medal

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young, fourth from left, poses with the bereaved family of the late Suh Myung-sook, the founding president of the Jeju Olle Foundation, and foundation officials at the Jeju Olle Traveler Center on Jeju Island, Saturday, after posthumously presenting her with the Moran Medal of the Order of Civil Merit. Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Suh Myung-sook, founding president of the Jeju Olle Foundation / Korea Times file

The government posthumously awarded the Moran Medal of the Order of Civil Merit to the late Suh Myung-sook, the founding president of the Jeju Olle Foundation, in recognition of her pioneering contribution to eco-tourism and sustainable travel in Korea.

On Saturday, Chae Hwi-young, minister of culture, sports and tourism, visited the Jeju Olle Traveler Center on Jeju Island to present the prestigious medal to her bereaved family. Suh died in April at the age of 68.

"Through the medium of walking tours, the late president built a sustainable ecological and cultural space where nature, travelers and local residents harmoniously coexist," an official from the culture ministry said.

Suh’s legacy dates back to 2007, when she established the nonprofit Jeju Olle Foundation and began creating and operating the very first trail on Korea's southern volcanic island.

Inspired by her own journey along the famous Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James, in Spain, the former journalist sought to create a trekking route that could help tired people from the city relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery of her hometown.

Over the years, the project expanded into 27 courses spanning 437 kilometers, surrounding the perimeter of Jeju Island. As of June, the trails have attracted a cumulative total of 13.4 million visitors. The figure shows how the courses have contributed to the nation’s walking tour boom and established itself as Korea’s representative walking trail that completely reshaped the domestic tourism landscape.

Hikers walk along Jeju Olle Trail on Jeju Island. Courtesy of Jeju Olle Foundation

Shift to slow travel

When Suh first introduced the concept, few believed that people would travel to Jeju just to walk. At the time, touring the island meant a relentless schedule of golfing or rushing from one commercial landmark to another.

The Jeju Olle Foundation has consistently attributed the trail's success to its focus on connection and nature. According to the foundation, every course is designed to let visitors walk along the island's coast. By walking these routes slowly, visitors naturally get the chance to meet and talk with local residents as well as other travelers along the way.

The popularity of Jeju Olle also spread to other countries as Suh successfully expanded the trail model overseas.

In 2011, the foundation partnered with Japan's Kyushu Tourism Promotion Organization to export the trail brand, leading to the creation of the Kyushu Olle in February 2012. This move effectively developed the initiative into a model for international cultural exchange through walking tours.

The sister trails share Jeju's signature identity, including Ganse, the iconic wooden signpost shaped after Jeju's native pony, and distinctive guide ribbons. While the original trails use blue and orange ribbons, the Japanese counterparts feature blue and scarlet, symbolizing the traditional arches of Shinto shrines.

The franchise model has since expanded further into Japan's Miyagi Prefecture and Mongolia, establishing Jeju Olle as a global benchmark for international development cooperation and spreading the social value of walking worldwide.

In September 2022, the foundation further cemented its global standing by introducing a Joint Completion System with the Camino de Santiago. Under the agreement, trekkers who walk more than 100 kilometers on both the Jeju Olle and the Spanish trail can receive a joint completion certificate and a commemorative medal issued at either destination.