61-day run begins with Saturday opening ceremony

30 countries participating; 3 million visitors targeted

Eight exhibition halls and safety measures in place

Camping and trekking at satellite venues

Half-price ferry fares offered for island travel

An aerial rendering of the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo venue
An aerial rendering of the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo venue

The world's first large-scale international exposition dedicated to islands has completed its final preparations and confirmed a Saturday opening.

The organizing committee of the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo held a press day Tuesday morning at the press center in the main venue at Jinmo District on Dolsan Island in Yeosu, announcing the state of opening-day readiness. About 100 journalists from news organizations across the country attended. The program proceeded through an expo briefing, an official question-and-answer session and a guided tour of the exhibition halls.

During the briefing, the committee introduced the main venue facilities, including eight exhibition halls, and outlined safety plans covering typhoons, heavy rain and heat waves, as well as ticketing and transportation arrangements. At the satellite venues on Gaedo and Geumodo islands, island-experience programs will run — including island camping and Bireong Trail trekking — alongside half-price ferry fare support and an "island half-price travel" benefit linking visitors to Yeosu's surrounding islands.

The expo will draw participation from 30 countries' regional governments — including those of Greece, Japan, Ecuador, Tanzania and Palau — as well as three international organizations, among them the World Health Organization and UNICEF. The organizing committee has set a target of 3 million visitors.

Kim Jong-gi, secretary general of the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo organizing committee, briefs the press. [Provided by the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo organizing committee]
Kim Jong-gi, secretary general of the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo organizing committee, briefs the press. [Provided by the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo organizing committee]

A tour of the major exhibition halls followed the briefing. The flagship hall, Theme Island, uses a 360-degree media facade and a media art show titled "Tree of Life" to portray the past, present and future of islands. Marine Ecology Island presents the ecological crisis and nature's resilience through interactive displays. Future Island showcases urban air mobility vehicles and a hydrogen-powered vessel to illustrate how islands and advanced technology will shape tomorrow, while Culture Island introduces islands as they appear in popular culture — from the pansori drama "Seopyeonje" and the game MapleStory to the musical "Mamma Mia!" — through participatory content.

The 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo opens Saturday and runs for 61 days through Nov. 4. The opening ceremony will feature a themed performance based on the mermaid legend of "Shinjikki" from Geomundo island, a light-drone show and a popular singer concert. Held under the theme "Islands: Connecting the Sea and the Future," the expo spans Jinmo District on Dolsan Island, the Yeosu World Expo site, Gaedo and Geumodo.

"We will go over every area — facilities, content, safety and transportation — one more time in the days remaining, to ensure the world's first islands expo opens safely and successfully," said Kim Jong-gi, secretary general of the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo organizing committee.


terry@heraldcorp.com