The endless rows between political camps over presidential “NLL remarks” and the “NIS interference” in presidential election are too annoying. To get away from the noise, take a trip to one of our beautiful islands, the remoter the better. In cool breezes and under twinkling stars and immersed in the delight of marine delicacies, you realize how insignificant those current topics are. 

In the weekly “Koreans’ Meal Table (bapsang)” program on KBS-1 TV, actor Choe Bul-am takes us to the hinterland or offshore islands to show what the people have eaten through generations to survive and celebrate on auspicious occasions. In his subdued voice and affable gesture, the dark-faced Choe tells of the grassroots wisdom to collect all kinds of nature’s edible gifts to live on and make offerings for ancestors.

He, or the program director, seems particularly fond of islands as more often than not the “Koreans’ bapsang” explores the food culture on one of the many islands on the three coasts to introduce how the residents combine things they gather from the sea and rocky land to prepare tasty and nutritious dishes. On a trip to Cheongsando Island in the South Sea two years ago, I happened to board the same boat with the bapsang production team.

I volunteered to help Choe by keeping female fans from approaching the popular actor while he was making his narration leaning on the side of the ship. It was shortly after Cheongsando was chosen as a “slow city” by the Cittaslow Movement based in Italy. Cheongsando is receiving many visitors these days ―perhaps because of the ancient lyric “Cheongsan-e sareoriratta (I want to live in Cheongsan)” ― but Korea’s 3,200 islands, 444 of which are inhabited, deserve equal appreciation by today’s weary hearts.

Some may miss the spectacle of Halong Bay off Korean coasts, but the value of our islands, I would say, is found in their vitality amidst serenity: the former in the people, and the latter in nature. My traveling experiences are neither too extensive nor too limited: Baengnyeongdo Island to the northwest, Ulleungdo and Dokdo to the east, Bogildo, Cheongsando, Sorokdo, Saryangdo islands and a few others to the south aside from Wando, Jindo, Namhaedo and Geojedo islands, which are connected to the mainland by bridges.

Since the territorial division, the southern half of the Korean Peninsula existed as a virtual island. While the Republic of Korea treaded on a fast process of industrialization, our offshore islands followed with their own agricultural and fisheries development, at a little slower pace. Aquaculture developed rapidly in the Saemaul Movement of the 1970s with seaweed, oyster and abalone farms established along coasts of clear water.

Wando Island in South Jeolla Province became the first island to overtake the income level of mainland counties and many households exceeded 100 million won in annual income by the 1980s. In a different course of development, Geojedo Island to the east became the nucleus of the world’s shipbuilding industry. The island now boasts a per capita income double that of the rest of the country.

Tourism is a major element of vitality on our islands. Car ferries running to and from islands in the three seas are getting bigger and faster and are expanding operation routes. Wherever you stand in a coastal location, you see at least one bridge project underway between the mainland and an island or between islands. Highway 77 ― which will link numerous islands, peninsulas and coastal plains from Incheon to Busan ― will stretch 900 kilometers when it is completed in 2020, hopefully.

But, progress is generally slow in bridge projects over the sea. Take the case of Sinan County at the southwestern tip of the peninsula, consisting of 72 inhabited islands where people dream of making their place the gem of East Asia. Only six bridges connect larger islands to the mainland now. The Saecheonnyon (New Millennium) Grand Bridge project, which started during the Kim Dae-jung presidency, has yet to be completed. Work will start this month for the 5-kilometer bridge between two larger islands of the county but no one can tell when it will be completed.

Many marina construction projects are underway in the South Jeolla area and elsewhere to accelerate the development of the pleasure boating industry. While traveling southern France a few years ago, I came across with a survey team sent by South Jeolla Gov. Park Joon-young who had the great vision of making the province a “marine tourism mecca.” A team member told me that their greatest challenge is to provide facilities that can protect pleasure boats from the multiple typhoons thrashing the peninsula each year, a difference from the Mediterranean.

Of course, the center of tourism is Jejudo Island where visa-free Chinese tourists are arriving in droves these days. Last week, I made a trip to the island province for the first time since it was “voted” as one of the world’s seven natural wonders two years ago. There were doubts about the credibility of the Swiss-based organization that ran the global poll and criticism rose about the possibility of repetitive voting encouraged by local authorities, but the latest visit to the island gave me added confidence in the value of Jejudo.

I believe the strength of this subtropical island comes from the combination of nature, people and economy. The receiving community has balanced farming and fishing industries that can generate resources to offer amenities for tourists. A local Jeju paper reported that the steep rise of Chinese investment in real estate on the island has pushed the authorities of the autonomous province to consider doubling the minimum required amount for granting permanent residence to 1 billion won from the present 500 million won.

Statistics show that the number of farm households on the island increased by 11 percent since 2008 and the exclusively farming population also grew by a similar percentage. The number of “100 million won earners” is up by 158 percent from 2008. New stretches of four-lane roads around and across the oval-shaped island and the sights of new cream-colored condominiums widen the eyes of visitors after a few years’ absence.

Serene beauty brings tourists to islands, and then they threaten the serenity of the place. This is the problem the members of island communities from Cheongsando to Jejudo should resolve by themselves. They should only be reminded that people visit their places more for peace of mind than pleasure.

By Kim Myong-sik

Kim Myong-sik is a former editorial writer of The Korea Herald. ― Ed.