Same-day admission to Presidential Island Jeo-do will be available from Feb. 3

From the third of February, visitors will be able to visit the president’s summer home island Jeo-do, in Gyeongnam province without prior approval.

Jeo-do, which is owned by the Ministry of National Defense, previously needed at least two days prior approval to enter.

About 83,000 people have visited the island since it reopened to the public in September 2019.

Jeo-do Island

Located off the coast of Geoje Island, Jeo-do was officially designated the president’s summer vacation spot in 1972.

Parts of the small island reopened to the public in 2019, 47 years after being closed to the public.

Visitors can enjoy the forests and sea pine trees, the oldest of which is 400 years old and also view the suspension bridge that connects Geoje Island with the mainland.

The one-hour course will take you from the marina to the Navy condo, Yeon-ri garden which features a 3-hole golf course, and a 200-meter sandy beach.

The island is managed by the South Korean Navy and parts of the island, including the presidential villa known as Cheonghaedae, remain off-limits.

The island was used as a Japanese military facility during the Japanese colonial period and was used by former President Syngman Rhee as his summer vacation residence.

There are two cruise ships that enter Geoje Island, and each ship operates twice a day morning and afternoon.

Reservations can be made online or by phone. 

For more information, call Geoje Jeo Island Cruise (636-7033, 636-3002) or Geoje Jeo Island Mok Cruise (635-1111, 636-1111) — Korean only.