The South Jeolla Province-Gwangju Integration Special City, the Ministry of Interior and Safety and the city of Yeosu appointed actor Jeong I-rang, singers Ha Hyun-woo, Ahn Sung-hoon and RESCENE, chef Jeong Ji-seon, and camping YouTuber Rirang as honorary ambassadors for the 7th Island Day (Aug. 8) at Government Complex Seoul on Tuesday.
About 30 people attended the ceremony, including Hwang Gi-yeon, administrative vice mayor of the South Jeolla Province-Gwangju Integration Special City, Kim Min-jae, vice minister of the Ministry of Interior and Safety, and Seo Yeong-hak, mayor of Yeosu, along with the newly appointed ambassadors.
The ambassadors, drawn from various fields, will promote the value and appeal of Korea's islands through advance publicity, on-site participation during the event and direct engagement with visitors.
This year's Island Day celebration will be held in Yeosu — widely known for its romantic night sea — from Aug. 6 to 9, under the theme "Romantic Recharge, Island."
The event will also help build momentum ahead of the 2026 Yeosu World Island Expo, the world's first island-themed exposition, which opens Sept. 5.
During the four-day event, visitors can look forward to interactive exhibition halls, island trail walks, children's puppet shows, programs involving island residents and an academic conference on islands.
Island Day, observed on Aug. 8, was designated a national commemorative day in 2018 through an amendment to the Island Development Promotion Act, with the aim of raising awareness of the value and importance of Korea's islands. Annual celebrations are held primarily in local governments that administer islands.
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