JEJU-DO < invest Korea

Jeju Island is an oval-shaped island about 73km long from the east to west and 41km from the north to south. At the center of the island, Halla Mountain rises 1,950m above sea level, making it the highest point in South Korea.

This volcanic island has a varied and unique volcanic topography, which makes the entire island a volcano museum. More than 360 large and small oreums1) and over 160 lava tubes are distributed throughout the island. It is rare for such a small island to have so many oreums and lava tubes.

In 1972, UNESCO adopted the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, and has since registered culturally and naturally outstanding sites requiring protection for humanity as world heritage.

In 2007, the “Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes” were registered by UNESCO as Korea’s first Natural World Heritage site. The Jeju heritage sites consist of the Mt. Halla Natural Reserve, Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak, and the Geomun Oreum lava tubes, accounting for approximately 10% of the entire island.

Global Geopark is a UNESCO program for protecting natural heritage areas with significant geological value and promoting tourism and the local economy.

Jeju Island was designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark in October 2010.

Biosphere Reserves are inland and offshore areas designated under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) to promote the preservation of biodiversity and the sustainable utilization of natural resources. A total of 701 sites in 124 countries around the world are designated as Biosphere Reserves as of 2019.

Recognized for its biodiversity and unique ecosystem, the Halla Mountain area, at over 200m above sea level, was designated as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2002, and the site was expanded to include the entire island as well as the nearby Chujado Islands in 2019.