Seo Myeongsuk, Who Left a 437km Trail in Jeju, Posthumously Awarded the National Medal of Moran

Minister Choi Huieyoung Visits Jeju Olle Traveler Center
Presents National Medal of Moran to Bereaved Family

The late Seo Myeongsuk, Chairman of the Jeju Olle Foundation, who pioneered the Jeju Olle Trail and contributed to expanding Korea’s walking tourism culture, was posthumously awarded the National Medal of Moran.

On the 18th, at the Jeju Olle Traveler Center in Seogwipo City, Jeju, Choi Huyeong, Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, presented the National Medal of Moranjang to the bereaved family at the "Late Seo Myeongsuk Jeju Olle Chairman National Medal Presentation Ceremony" and took a commemorative photo together. Photo by Yonhap News

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that on the 18th, Minister Choi Huieyoung visited the Jeju Olle Traveler Center in Seogwipo City, Jeju, and presented the posthumously awarded National Medal of Moran to the bereaved family. Chairman Seo passed away on April 7 at the age of 68.

The National Medal of Moran is the second-highest class of national medal, awarded to those who have made significant contributions to the welfare of the people and national development. The government recognized Chairman Seo for her achievements in establishing the Jeju Olle Trail, spreading the culture of walking tourism, and presenting a sustainable tourism model where nature and local residents coexist.

Chairman Seo, a native of Seogwipo, graduated from the Department of Education at Korea University and worked as a journalist for more than 20 years. She served as a political reporter and chief editor at Sisa Journal, becoming the first female editor-in-chief of a current affairs weekly magazine in Korea, and later served as editor-in-chief at OhmyNews.

Her life changed in 2006 after her pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. After walking around 800 km, she decided to create a trail in her hometown of Jeju that would connect people, nature, and villages. The following year, she established the Jeju Olle Foundation and opened Jeju Olle Course 1, linking Sihung Elementary School in Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo, to Gwangchigi Beach.

Jeju Olle was developed not by building new roads, but by rediscovering and connecting coastal paths, Gotjawal forests, stone-walled footpaths, and old village roads. Based on the principle that tourists, local residents, and nature must be able to sustainably coexist, a management system was established in which residents and volunteers created and maintained the trails.

From the opening of the first course in 2007 to 2022, a total of 27 courses spanning 437 kilometers were completed, connecting the main island of Jeju and its surrounding islets. The success of Jeju Olle led to the creation of walking trails nationwide and sparked a walking tourism boom; its philosophy and operational model also spread overseas, including to Kyushu, Japan and Mongolia.

Jeju Olle helped revitalize the local economy by dispersing tourists away from famous attractions into villages, alleys, and small businesses. It also promoted an inclusive travel culture by offering walking programs and village-linked projects for marginalized groups such as people with disabilities and youth.

In recognition of these achievements, Chairman Seo received various awards, including the Presidential Citation for Tourism Promotion, the Korean Tourism Star Award in the Contributor to Tourism Development category, the National Medal of Dongbaek, the Hong Jinki Creation Award, and the Grand Prize at the Korea Women Leaders Awards.

At her funeral, held in April at Seobok Park on Jeju Olle Course 6 in Seogwipo, bereaved family members, Jeju Olle Foundation staff, local residents, and “Ollekkun” (trail enthusiasts) bid her a final farewell.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stated, “In recognition of her contribution to spreading sustainable tourism and the walking trail culture, and to revitalizing local tourism through Jeju Olle, the late Chairwoman Seo was posthumously awarded the National Medal of Moran.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.