This week on Jeju: A to Z, Todd Thacker takes a brief look at the busy port of Jeju City, where hundreds of thousands of cruise and ferry passengers arrive annually.

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The number of Jeju’s air traffic passengers is growing rapidly. But another important source of tourism and economic stability may be less obvious -- Jeju City’s bustling seaport.

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Over 60% of Korea’s cruise ship tourists come to Jeju

Complete with an International Passenger Terminal and Duty Free shopping, the Port of Jeju greets hundreds of thousands of ferry and cruise ship passengers every year.


Over 60 percent of Korea’s total cruise ship tourists dock at Jeju -- many coming directly from ports in China. As for domestic ferry routes, there are daily sailings to Mokpo, Busan, and Goheung, among other mainland ports.

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Quay stretches for 1,700 m

The port takes up some 354 hectares in the old part of Jeju City. The quay is 1,700 meters-long and can handle up to a dozen large cargo and passenger ships. A 3-kilometer-long breakwater protects the entire port.

Just like the island’s international airport, its seaport is handling ever-increasing traffic, both from the mainland and overseas.

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Truckloads of cargo pass through daily

Important Jeju exports such as mandarin oranges and fresh and frozen fish are loaded into trucks and containers each day. To maintain efficiency and safety, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has installed the latest in vessel traffic systems at Jeju Port.

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Todd Thacker

As Jeju continues to grow, it’s clear that tourism will continue to help fund improvements in local infrastructure and bring benefits and challenges to the island for years to come.

Todd Thacker KCTV