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Islands of Korea, Islands of the World 3. Innovating Island Transportation Systems to Secure Mobility Rights Introduction of alternative transport options KIDI Research
Desired Improvements for Ground Transportation on Islands
Kim Nam-hee, Head of Policy Research Team(KIDI)
The transportation systems on Korea’s islands are among the most disadvantaged when compared to mainland regions.
Increase in public transportation
Limited accessibility to the mainland, weak inter-island connections, and underdeveloped internal road networks all
frequency
contribute to significant inconvenience. For island residents, the constitutional right to mobility remains largely unmet.
(e.g., „Happy Bus”, “100-won Taxi”)
Islanders often rely on coastal passenger ferries that are more expensive per kilometer than air travel. Even then, ferry
routes and schedules are frequently insufficient to meet demand. Delays and cancellations due to weather conditions are
operating hours
common, disrupting everyday life. Most critically, the fragile transportation infrastructure jeopardizes access to emergency
Modernization of vehicles and
medical care, where timely response can mean the difference between life and death. These factors make island life less Extension of public transportation
transport infrastructure
desirable.
Adjustment or addition of routes
As of 2021, only 91 out of 464 inhabited islands had access to any form of public transportation. Merely 59 islands operated
alternatives like “100-won taxis” (a subsidized local transport program). Although the number of bus stops per 1,000 people
Introduction of regular land-based
on islands is relatively high compared to the national average, the number of daily bus operations per route is drastically public transport (city or village buses)
lower—6.6 times on islands versus 20.9 times nationwide.
Government support for diverse

transportation options
These figures are reflected in islanders’ low transportation satisfaction, as confirmed through survey results.
Expansion of intermodal connections

to key destinations
Policy reform to allow islanders to register

personal vehicles as public transit
Inconveniences Residents Wish to See Resolved in Maritime Transportation

Insufficient ferry operation hours (inability to
make same-day round trips to the mainland) Source: Compiled by the research team
02 Lack of available ferry
Vol. services Strategies for Island Transportation System Reform

High transportation fares Category Innovation Direction

Implementation of a Public Ferry System Expand public ferry services to cover transportation blind spots
Lack of safety-related facilities
and equipment
Public Transit Integration of Island Transport Incorporate ferry and barge fares into a standardized public transportation system
Frequent cancellations
Introduce a “Tourism Road System” and designate roads leading to and
Improvement of On-Island Transportation
within islands as scenic routes
Delays in emergency medical
Strengthen connections between islands and metropolitan transport while
transportation Mitigating Side Effects of Bridge Construction
implementing traffic management systems on islands
Aging vessels (including car ferries) and Conduct comprehensive review of safety regulations, revise maritime laws and
outdated infrastructure Regulatory Reform barge operation acts, and reassess the lead administrative body for local ferries
Insufficient facilities for mobility-impaired IIntroduction of Aerial Transport Options Consider small airplanes and helicopters as transportation options for islands

passengers (e.g., elderly, infants)
Explore use of WIG (Wing-in-Ground) craft and urban air mobility (UAM)
Diversification through Advanced Technology
Route changes due to bridge for island transit solutions
construction (land-linking projects)
Routes operated by private shipping

companies
Legal and Institutional Reform Is Urgently Needed
Lack of facilities for passengers with To introduce a public coastal ferry system, Korea must either enact a new special law or amend existing maritime laws such
disabilities
as the Shipping Act to include provisions for the establishment and operation of public transportation institutions. Practical
revisions are also needed for regulations that restrict ferry operations—for example, daylight-only navigation rules or
Don’t know / No response
outdated equipment standards that prevent night travel.

Beyond creating new laws, it is equally important to ensure the effective implementation of existing policies. Strengthening
the legal impact of the Island Development Promotion Act is critical to achieving real change.
70 Source: Compiled by the research team 71