Nami Island CEO Kang Woo-hyon will resign from his post at the end of August to work on a new tourism development project, the company said Thursday.

Kang came up with the idea of developing Nami Island, or Namiseom, into a tourism resort and was inaugurated as CEO of the tourism operator in September 2001. Nami Island is a small island in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. 

“Kang will resign at the end of this month and vice president Lee Kye-young will become new CEO,” said Nami Island spokesperson Lee Seung-ju.

“Kang will look for a new growth business outside Nami Island,” he said, not elaborating on the location or kind of business.

The hallyu boom was largely spurred on by KBS drama “Winter Sonata,” which was filmed in Namiseon, attracting not only Koreans but overseas travelers mostly from Japan and China.

Last year, the island attracted 2 million visitors and among them, 300,000 were from overseas, according to the company.

This year, the company expects 10 percent growth in the number of visitors.

Kang received a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and master’s degree in advertising design from Hongik University.

He has published many picture books for children including “A Dinosaur in the Desert” and currently serves as president of the Korea National Section at the International Board on Books for Young People.

Kang is also adjunct professor of Graduate School of International Tourism at Hanyang University.

By Kim Yoon-mi (yoonmi@heraldcorp.com)