Jeju Pushes Urban Air Mobility To Redefine Sustainable Tourism

By Linda Khoo

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 (Bernama) – Set against its volcanic coastline, pristine beaches and UNESCO-listed landscapes, South Korea’s Jeju Island is looking to the skies as it charts a new course for sustainable tourism and future mobility.

As part of its Carbon-Free Island 2030 vision, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province has introduced tourism-oriented Urban Air Mobility (UAM) to cut carbon emissions and ease congestion.

The initiative offers residents and visitors a low-emission way to experience Jeju from above, positioning the island as a regional testbed for eco-friendly aviation.

Connecting Cruise Tourism with the Skies

Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Oh Young-hun said the island aims to establish a new paradigm in tourism, leveraging its exceptional natural and cultural assets.

As cruise tourism continues to grow, he said UAM is being explored as a solution to improve time efficiency and enhance the visitor experience, particularly for travellers with limited hours onshore, while also offering aerial sightseeing experiences.

“Through this, Jeju’s tourism competitiveness, as well as its global brand value, is expected to increase significantly,” he told Bernama in a written interview.

As of October this year, Jeju welcomed more than 11.5 million visitors, including 1.95 million foreign tourists, signalling a strong rebound in tourism, according to data from the Jeju Tourism Big Data Service Platform.

A five-time UNESCO designation holder, Jeju plans to begin with aerial sightseeing operations near Seongsan Port, offering views of Seongsan Ilchulbong as the initial UAM operation site, Oh said.

Once vertiport construction is completed at Jeju International Airport and the Jungmun ICC, travel across the island would be possible in under one hour, helping to alleviate congestion while enhancing tourism connectivity.

He added that the active introduction of UAM as an eco-friendly mode of transportation is also expected to boost the local economy and create high-quality jobs.

Developing Jeju’s UAM Ecosystem

The global UAM market is projected to reach about US$8 trillion by 2050, underscoring growing demand for next-generation mobility solutions.

Against this backdrop, Jeju has positioned itself as an ideal UAM testbed, citing favourable airspace, radio-frequency conditions, as well as strong user demand driven by tourism and regional connectivity needs.

In September 2022, the Jeju provincial government launched a Jeju-type UAM pilot project through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the K-UAM Dream Team — Korea’s leading UAM consortium comprising Korea Airports Corporation, SK Telecom and Hanwha Systems.

Building on these efforts, Jeju in October this year finalised its Master Plan for the Construction of UAM Vertiports, identifying Jeju International Airport, Jungmun ICC and Seongsan Port as candidate sites, with total investment estimated at about KRW 85 billion.

In another milestone, Jeju was selected in August this year as the country’s first regional UAM pilot project site by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, with construction targeted for completion by 2028 and a transition towards full commercialisation.

Driving Low-Emission Aviation

As most visitors travel to Jeju by air,  Oh said carbon-reduction efforts in the aviation sector are critical to the island’s ambition of becoming carbon-free.

He noted that the aviation industry currently accounts for about 2.8 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions, a share projected to exceed 5 per cent by 2050 as air travel demand continues to grow.

Within this context, electric UAM vehicles are expected to deliver a significant reduction in emissions compared with conventional aircraft, he said.

“The transition aligns closely with Jeju’s 2035 Net Zero strategy, positioning UAM as a key pillar in strengthening the island’s long-term sustainability through eco-friendly air transportation,” he said.

Building Public Trust in UAM

As UAM emerges as a new mode of public transportation, public acceptance — particularly concerns over safety and noise — remains a key consideration.

Oh said the provincial government plans to ensure safety by introducing aircraft certified by authoritative bodies such as the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in line with standards applied to conventional aircraft.

He added that electric propulsion would also help address noise concerns, noting that electric UAM vehicles generate more than 100 times less noise than conventional helicopters.

To support public understanding and implementation, Oh said Jeju hosts the Global Future Aerospace Confesta annually and has expanded partnerships with industry players, including the K-UAM Dream Team, US-based eVTOL developer Joby Aviation, and UK vertiport specialist Skyports, to advance UAM commercialisation.

Leveraging its geographical position at the heart of East Asia, Jeju is seeking to emerge as a regional hub for eco-friendly mobility, even as neighbouring countries such as China and Japan pursue their own UAM initiatives.

Looking ahead, Oh said Jeju plans to expand cooperation with ASEAN countries in UAM technology, policy and tourism content.

“By establishing a variety of exchange platforms, including international pilot operations, demonstration projects and corporate testbeds, Jeju aims to play a central role in driving mobility innovation across East Asia,” he said.

-- BERNAMA