The organizing committee of the ongoing Asian Games in Incheon said Monday it is sponsoring a photo exhibition that explores the raw beauty of the port city's mud flats.

"Incheon with Mysterious Tidal Flats" displays 55 photos of the city's iconic mud flats, which were designated to be "of international importance" by the Ramsar Convention in July.

The exhibition kicked off at the Namdong Sorae Arts Hall in the southern part of the city on Sept. 15 for a 21-day run. The dates were set to coincide with the Asian Games, which has drawn thousands of athletes, journalists and tourists to the city.

The showcased photos were taken by South Korean photographer Choi Byung-kwan, who is best known for his work capturing the natural landscape around the demilitarized zone, the tightly controlled border between the two Koreas.

 Among the works displayed are those of black-faced spoonbills, which are native to Incheon but nearing extinction. Choi's photos also juxtapose Songdo, an up-and-coming business district in Incheon, with the mud flats.

The Asiad organizers said they hope the exhibition would draw people's attention to the city's natural beauty.

"This exhibition is important in letting people know of Incheon's ecosystem," an official with the organizing committee said. (Yonhap)