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Islands of Korea, Islands of the World  Transportation and safety are fundamental rights that should be guaranteed to all citizens.   Docking scene in                                 Policy priorities for                                  R&D Station
                      KIDI Island Policy Research 1
                                                                                                                                           a transportation blind spot
                                                                                                                                                                                             utilizing administrative and
                                                                                                                                                                                             excursion vessels
                                                                                                                                           To support approximately 1,000 residents in
                   However, many island residents continue to suffer from limited access to transportation.
                                                                                                                                           these areas, the Korea Island Development
                                                                                                                                                                                             KIDI gathered expert input and applied the
                                                                                                                                           Institute (KIDI) reviewed the feasibility of using
                   While airports are under construction on Ulleungdo and Heuksando
                                                                                                                                           administrative and excursion vessels and
                                                                                                                                                                                             policy priorities.
                   Islands (scheduled for opening in 2025 and 2027 respectively), as
                                                                                                                                           proposed an operational plan.                     Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to determine
                                                                                                                                                                                               The results ranked the following:
                   of 2023, ships remain the only available transportation mode to
                                                                                                                                                                                            - Legal and institutional reform (0.45)
                   and from all island areas—except Jeju.
                                                                                                                                           The study is based on Article 13-3 (Support      - Financial support (0.33)
                                                                                                                                           for Transportation Convenience) of the Island    - Operational improvements (0.22)
                                                                                                                                           Development Promotion Act, which took effect      Legal improvements involve restructuring and
                                                                                                                                           in May 2023. It explores the potential to deploy   regulatory reform. Financial support includes
                                                                                                                                           these vessels in blind spot regions.              infrastructure, fare subsidies, operating costs,
                   Islands without basic transportation…
                                                                                                                                                                                             and vessel procurement.
                   Utilizing administrative and excursion vessels                                                                          As of December 2021, Korea operated 788
                                                                                                                                           government-owned vessels (excluding Coast
                   Over 1,000 vessels, including 788 government-owned ships
                                                                                                                                           Guard ships), including fishery patrol and
                   and 236 excursion vessels
                                                                                                                                           technical inspection boats—278 run by central
                                                                                                                                           government, 352 by local governments, and 158
                   As routes connecting islands continue to be                                                                             by public institutions.
                   reduced or discontinued due to population                              A view of a ship in a blind spot of traffic                                                         Ferry operated by Wando County
      Vol.03       decline, new research has been conducted to                                                                             However, interviews with vessel administrators
                   safeguard the mobility rights of island residents.
                                                                                                                                           and reviews of local laws revealed that only
                                                                                                                                           Ganghwa-gun and Sinan-gun explicitly authorize
                  The “Study on Resolving Maritime Transportation
                                                                                                                                           the use of these vessels for transportation in
                   Blind Spots on Islands” was launched to improve
                   transportation access for residents in underserved                                                                      underserved island areas. Since administrative
                                                                                                                                                                                              Ferry operated by Yeosu City
                   areas.                                                                                                                  vessels alone are insufficient, excursion and ferry
                                                                                                                                           vessels must also be considered.
                  The study defines these blind spots as inhabited                                                                                                                           To ensure efficient deployment of vessels, KIDI

                   islands where passenger ships or ferries are not                                                                        In Korea, "excursion ships” are typically for     proposes integrating the Maritime Transportation
                   in operation due to low economic viability, and
                                                                                                                                           leisure use, while "ferries” are designed to      Act and the Excursion and Ferry Vessel Act
                   where no land bridges have been built.
                                                                                                                                           transport passengers or cargo across inland or    into  a  unified  legal  framework.  However,
                                                                                                                                           coastal waters. As of March 2023, 145 excursion   this will take time due to the need for broad
                   Currently, 73 islands in Korea fall into this category.
                   Residents must rely on privately owned fishing or                                                                       ships and 91 ferries were in operation—a total of   stakeholder consensus. As an interim measure,
                   leisure boats to travel to the mainland for basic                                                                       236 vessels.                                      KIDI recommends a special license system for
                   needs such as administrative services, healthcare,                                                                                                                        vessels operating in blind spot areas—valid until
                   and welfare—posing both financial burdens                                                                                                                                 full passenger routes are secured. Demand-
                   and safety risks due to unpredictable marine                                                                                                                              responsive systems are also needed—allowing
                   conditions.                                                                                                                                                               routes, schedules, and docking locations to be
                                                                                                                                                                                             flexibly adjusted based on residents’ needs. In
                   In emergencies, some residents resort to paying for
                                                                                                                                                                                             parallel, new value can be created by introducing
                   unauthorized transport, a practice that is illegal
                                                                                                                                                                                             shared transportation systems using maritime
                   and subject to enforcement by the Coast Guard.
                                                                                                                                                                                             Uber-style taxis, autonomous maritime UAM, and
                   With no viable alternatives, islanders express                                                                          Administrative vessel introduced by Goheung County
     42            growing frustration.                                                                                                    after passenger ferry (Sisan Ferry) service was suspended  eco-friendly, self-operating small vessels.   43
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