New Maritime Route Between Jumun Island and Seonsu Port to Open Starting Next Month

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Starting next month, Ganghwa County will change the maritime route connecting 'Jumun Island (Seodo-myeon) to Ondogyeong Port in Oeppo (Naega-myeon)' to the 'Jumun Island to Seonsu Port in Seodo-myeon (Hwado-myeon)' route. Additionally, the number of sailings will increase to six times per day.

Passenger ferries heading to Seodo-myeon will operate twice daily on two routes departing from Seonsu Port in Hwado-myeon: the 'Seonsu~Jumun Island (Salgos)' route and the 'Seonsu~Boreume Island~Acha Island~Jumun Island (Neuri)' route.

The new maritime route will take 35 minutes to reach Jumun Island and 55 minutes to reach Boreume Island. The existing route operated twice daily and took 1 hour and 40 minutes.

The current route departing from Oeppo Port faces difficult circumstances as mud accumulates, requiring passenger operations to align with tidal conditions. The county has conducted multiple consultations with residents to establish an alternative shortened route. Through close cooperation with the Incheon Regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Administration, which holds licensing authority, the new route has been established.

Seodo-myeon, meanwhile, is a scenic tourism destination located at the northwestern tip of Ganghwado Island, consisting of four inhabited islands and nine uninhabited islands. It features four beaches: Daebinchang Beach and Dwit-jang-sul Beach on Jumundori, and Jogaegol Beach and Yeongtteureu Beach on Boreume Island.

Cultural heritage sites scattered throughout the area include a 800-year-old ginkgo tree designated as Natural Monument No. 304 and the Seodo Central Church building, a basilica-style structure designated as Incheon Metropolitan City Cultural Heritage Material No. 14. The area is also popular among family tourists for its diverse shellfish species (clams, oysters, etc.) harvested from pristine waters and abundant fish varieties (sea bass, rockfish, mullet, halfbeak, and octopus).

Ganghwa County Governor Yu Cheon-ho said, "The opening of the new route is expected to improve residents' living conditions and attract more tourists," adding "We will transform Seodo-myeon into a tourist destination that welcomes visitors year-round."