Snorkeling off Jeju IslandTourists snorkel in waters near a port in the city of Jeju on South Korea’s largest island of the same name on June 7, 2021. (Yonhap)
Snow-capped Mount Halla This provided photo shows Baekrokdam Lake, which sits at the top of Mount Halla on South Korea’s largest island of Jeju, covered with snow on Dec. 18, 2020. The 1,950-meter dormant volcano, a UNESCO-designated world natural heritage site, is the highest peak in South Korea. (Yonhap)
Moomin-themed park on Jeju Island Finnish Ambassador to South Korea Pekka Metso (C) attends a ceremony at Moomin Land, a park themed on Finland’s Moonmin fairy-tale characters, in the city of Seogwipo on South Korea’s largest island of Jeju on Oct. 8, 2020, to mark its opening. (Yonhap)
Typhoon Bavi hits S. Korea The roots of a roadside tree are pulled out by strong winds as the powerful Typhoon Bavi landed on South Korea’s southern Jeju Island on Aug. 26, 2020. (Yonhap)
Jeju used to be the go-to spot for Korean honeymooners before the rise of the ROK economy allowed couples to more easily travel abroad. However, COVID restrictions is once again bringing honeymooners back to Jeju:
A “dolharbang” (stone grandfather) wears sunglasses at Hamdeok Beach in the city of Jeju on South Korea’s southern resort island of Jeju on June 21, 2020. (Yonhap)
“Jeju was my last option for our honeymoon because I thought I could go there whenever I wanted,” he said. “But as a plan B, Jeju looked better than other places for good restaurants and attractions.”
The Gohs are not the only newlyweds to celebrate their marriage on the subtropical island amid the coronavirus pandemic.
To meet rising demand from such honeymooners, who replace their overseas trips with domestic ones, hotel operators in Jeju have come up with honeymoon packages in the spring-summer season.
Jeju airport crowded with departing touristsPassengers check in for a flight departing from the southern resort island of Jeju at Jeju International Airport on May 5, 2020, the last day of a long holiday that began April 30. (Yonhap)
Site of new Jeju AirportAn activist carries out research on migratory birds living near the site of a new international airport on the southern resort island of Jeju on Jan. 19, 2020, to assess the project’s potential impact on their natural habitat. (Yonhap)
Eve of beach openingTourists enjoy their holiday on a beach on Jeju on June 21, 2019, one day before the opening of beaches on the southern resort island. (Yonhap)
Tulips in full bloom on Jeju IslandVisitors walk through a field of tulips at a park in the city of Seogwipo on South Korea’s largest island of Jeju on March 8, 2019, with the 1,950-meter Mount Halla seen at the top. (Yonhap)
President Moon Jae-in said Sunday that he could give North Korea’s Kim Jong-un a tour of Mount Halla, South Korea’s tallest mountain, on the southern island of Jeju, if the leader comes for a visit.
Moon made the remarks in response to a reporter’s question about what he would show Kim should the communist leader reciprocate his own visit to Pyongyang last month for the third inter-Korean summit aimed at fostering inter-Korean rapprochement and cooperation.
“As we have an expression like ‘from Mount Paekdu to Mount Halla,’ I could give him a tour of Mount Halla if (he) wants,” Moon said during talks with reporters after climbing up to a peak of Mount Bukak just behind the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. [Yonhap]
