The head of Jeju’s provincial administration says he will push for the expansion of the island’s crowded airport to allow it to handle the soaring number of tourists, while supporting local businesses and enhancing education infrastructure.

“(I will) take Seogwipo area into consideration primarily in terms of balanced growth if a new airport is to be built,” said Gov. Won Hee-ryong, in a recent email interview with The Korea Herald. The central government is choosing whether to build a new airport in Seogwipo or expand the main airport in Jeju City.

The province has been in active consultation with the central government to expand its airport facilities. The route between Gimpo and Jeju has become one of the busiest routes in the world in recent years.

Won, who took office in July, said it was urgent for the nation to extend Jeju International Airport in Jeju City, which is located in the northern part of the island, or establish a second one in an other district.

Won recommended several locations in Seogwipo City as optimal candidates for developing the southern part of the island, as well as sharing routes with the northern airport.

The Jeju provincial office estimates that the number of tourists to the island will come to about 12 million in 2014, up more than 1 million from the previous year. The number of foreign tourists is also projected to increase from 2.33 million to 3 million on-year.

Jejudo Island, which attracted 10.85 million tourists in 2013, outperformed Bali, Indonesia, which drew 8.95 million tourists and Hawaii, with 7.99 million though the two foreign islands’ figures are from 2012.

Won said the need for a new airport is mounting. A new airport should operate round the clock, sharing tourists with the current one and offering added capacity to effectively counter typhoons. The airport is also expected to serve the island’s multifaceted roles as a hub of shopping, finance and resorts.

Candidates, mentioned among Jeju citizens and municipal officials, included districts such as Daejeong, Namwon, Seongsan and Gujwa.

Won said he “hopes that the issue on the airport infrastructure would be traced not based upon political theory but the nation’s strategy.”

Won picked reaching an agreement on the Jeju International Airport extension or buidling a fresh one as one of his two priorities during his four-year term.

The other is to promote the regional businesses to unveil the unique, world-class products in the green energy sector, he said. 

“There are core fields with growth potential: eco-oriented luxury tours, new and renewable energy in utilization of wind power and lava ocean waters.”

Further, Jeju has embarked on its process to become an educational hub in Asia.

There are three international schools in Gueogni, Daejeong district: Canada-based Branksome Hall Asia, U.K.-based North London Collegiate School Jeju and Korea International School Jeju Campus. A fourth, U.S.-based St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju, is scheduled to open in September 2016.

“The provincial office will focus on attracting a variety of schools in a bid to provide students and parents with wider scope of choice,” said the governor.

Pledging to foster a high-end educational environment, he said the office would push to attract students from more Asian countries, aside from South Koreans and Chinese.

He added that the Gueongni region, dubbed the Jeju English Education City, is creating jobs for local residents. Data showed that Jeju citizens make up around half of the 733 staff at the three schools, including teachers and counselors.

The schools are expected to improve Korea’s annual education account balance by more than 100 billion won ($96.1 million) from 2015, said the office. Forty-six of the first 52 graduates gained admission to prominent foreign colleges earlier this year.

The office, in collaboration with the Jeju Free International City Development Center, plans to pour 1.9 trillion won into the global education segment by 2021. It expects the area’s residents to increase to 20,000, which would comprise 9,000 students at seven schools.

Won also mentioned the growing number of foreigners residing across Jeju, whose number has reached 12,600, and the inconveniences they faced.

“While Jeju posted the highest annual growth of 20 percent in migrant population over the past few years, I have often heard of their difficulties and petitions,” he said.

“The province is considering setting up the Jeju Global Center,” he said. The plan is designed to respond to their request for a one-stop service that can resolve problems in sectors like transportation, tourism, education, medical services and communication with locals.

Jeju is aiming to arrange the nation’s best bus system by integrating urban and rural routes as well as introducing late-night and electric-powered buses.

“I believe that it is important for Jeju citizens to have kindness in mind toward foreigners rather than English skills. Communication problems could be resolved though interpretation services offered by smartphones.”

Regarding worries about the destruction of the environment due to the extensive construction work that is underway, he clarified that the provincial government would rigidly examine business proposals for lodging facilities or land development works that encroach on green spaces.

Won, however, said the office welcomed any investment that would boost the island’s future value, as long as it did not damage its initial natural value.

He promised to create investments in the MICE (meetings, incentive trips, conventions and exhibitions) sector, as Jeju has become one of the world’s top 20 hosts for international conferences, and the cruise industry as the island ranked as Asia’s top port of call for cruise ships.

Meanwhile, he cast concern over the situation that more and more Chinese were using low-priced group tours via cheap flights and agents. As it is not beneficial to the regional economy and job creation on a mid- and long-term basis, the paradigm should be changed from boosting numbers to improving the quality of what it offers as a tourist destination, he said.

Asked about his political ambitions, Won, who was elected an assemblyman of the country’s main conservative party three times, said he would like to “seek policy solidarity with counterparts (some opposition lawmakers) for bigger state visions,” if necessary, in the future.

Born in 1964 in Jeju, he worked as a prosecutor. He was offered to enter the political circle in 2000 by both then-conservative party chief Lee Hoi-chang and the liberal Kim Dae-jung administration.

“I wanted to contribute to conservatives in the aspects of instigating (their stagnant) reform drive.”

By Kim Yon-se (kys@heraldcorp.com)