The event draws comparisons to regional festivals such as the Taean Horticultural Healing Expo and the Wando Seaweed Expo, with a target of 90,000 foreign visitors
The 2026 World Island Fair Yeosu Korea, themed "Islands: Connecting the Sea and the Future," opens Saturday on Dolsando island in Yeosu and runs for two months.
The fair — the first in South Korea to focus on islands as its central theme — will be held with the participation of 30 countries, including Greece, Japan, Ecuador, Tanzania and Palau, along with three international organizations including the WHO and UNICEF.
Despite carrying the name "island expo," the event has a total budget of 70.3 billion won ($51.2 million) — comprising 6.4 billion won in national funds, 15.4 billion won in provincial funds, 36.5 billion won in municipal funds and 12 billion won in projected operating revenue — and is a locally organized festival-style event, not a Bureau International des Expositions-sanctioned expo.
It is comparable in scope and intent to events such as the Taean Horticultural Healing Expo in South Chungcheong Province, the Suncheon Bay Garden Expo and the Wando Seaweed Expo — regional gatherings rather than large-scale international expos backed by massive central government funding.
The event's official English name has also been updated to reflect its character. Originally rendered as "Exhibition," the title has been changed to "2026 World Island Fair Yeosu Korea," adopting the word "fair" — as used in trade events such as housing fairs and pet fairs — to emphasize its festival atmosphere.
The organizing committee held a press day Tuesday at the main venue in the Jinmo district of Dolsan-eup, running through final program checks and promotional briefings for media ahead of the opening.
At the secondary venues on Gaedo and Geumodo islands in Hwajong-myeon, organizers introduced island-exclusive experience programs including "island camping" and trekking along the Bireong Trail. Linked tourism products were also unveiled, offering visitors the chance to explore some of Yeosu's 365 islands, with ferry fares cut by half for the duration of the two-month event.
The organizing committee has set an overall attendance target of 3 million visitors, with a goal of attracting 90,000 foreign visitors, and plans to provide AI interpretation services to facilitate communication.
Kim Jong-gi, secretary general of the organizing committee and a former vice mayor of Yeosu, said the committee would conduct a thorough final review of all areas — facilities, content, safety and transportation — to ensure the world's first island-themed expo opens safely and successfully.
parkds@heraldcorp.com
