An aerial view of Jisimdo, which is set to be developed into a stay-based tourism destination combining ecological and historical resources with recreational amenities. [South Gyeongsang Province]
An aerial view of Jisimdo, which is set to be developed into a stay-based tourism destination combining ecological and historical resources with recreational amenities. [South Gyeongsang Province]

South Gyeongsang Province plans to transform Jisimdo, an island off Geoje, into a stay-based tourism destination that blends ecological and historical resources with recreational amenities. The province announced Monday that it will hold an architectural design competition in the second half of this year for the Jisimdo Hillcrest Cultural Playground development project.

The project is a joint undertaking by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, South Gyeongsang Province and Geoje City, with a total budget of 18.3 billion won ($12.9 million). The target completion date is the end of 2028. This year, 6.58 billion won will be spent on the design competition and related procedures. Funding breaks down as 3.29 billion won from the national government, 987 million won from the provincial government and 2.3 billion won from Geoje City.

Jisimdo sits in the waters off Geoje and is known for its dense camellia forests and coastal scenery. The island also bears painful scars from the Japanese colonial period — residents were forcibly relocated in 1936 and the island was converted into a military fortress. After liberation, the Ministry of National Defense continued to manage it for military purposes until 2017, when ownership was transferred to Geoje City, laying the groundwork for developing its historical, cultural and ecological assets as tourism resources.

Through the project, the province plans to create a hilltop theme garden, a camellia forest play area, wellness facilities, hiking trails and rest areas. Former Agency for Defense Development buildings and dormitories that had been left vacant will be remodeled for use as education and lodging facilities. The province also intends to develop trekking routes and hands-on tourism programs that take in the camellia forests, the South Sea coastline, scenic cliffs and Japanese colonial-era military relics.

"Jisimdo is an island that has preserved an undisturbed ecosystem thanks to its long management as a military facility," said Kim Sang-won, director general of tourism development at South Gyeongsang Province. "We will develop it into a stay-based healing destination where history and ecological resources complement each other, and nurture it into a landmark attraction representing the South Coast."


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