[Anchor]
The 2026 Yeosu World Island Exhibition wrapped up its two-month run yesterday. Attention is now turning to how the exhibition venues, built with massive budgets, will be utilized moving forward.
Reporter Park Seung-hyun from KBC has the details.
[Reporter]
The 2026 Yeosu World Island Exhibition, held under the world's first-ever theme dedicated to islands, has successfully concluded its two-month journey.
Despite various challenges, the event attracted 2.55 million visitors, holding great significance in raising awareness of the value of islands and opening up new possibilities for island tourism.
[Seo Young-hak / Mayor of Yeosu: We have already submitted the Yeosu Island Declaration, formed with various cities around the world, to the United Nations. We are also making joint efforts to have World Island Day officially adopted.]
The remaining task now is how to utilize the island exhibition venues after the event.
The city of Yeosu plans to preserve certain facilities, such as the theme island and the island theme zone, to create spaces for citizens and tourists.
It is also reviewing plans to connect the Bitseom Park, an urban forest, and a park golf course.
However, significant challenges remain, including how to cover the massive maintenance costs and how to improve accessibility to the exhibition site, which is located away from the downtown area.
Meanwhile, Gaedo Island, the sub-venue, is envisioned to be fostered as a stay-type tourism hub, but questions linger over how much sustained tourism demand it can secure.
[Lee Sang-hoon / Chairman of the Yeosu Declaration Practice Committee: I hope this serves as a starting point to integrate the future value of the ocean discovered through this island exhibition with the identity of the Yeosu region, building upon the legacy of the 2012 World Expo's 'The Living Coast and Ocean'.]
The Yeosu World Island Exhibition cost over 180 billion won to stage.
The city of Yeosu plans to finalize a concrete business utilization plan by next month, following research services and a public opinion-gathering process.
(Video by Park Myung-shin, KBC)
Park Seung-hyun, KBC
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