In the early morning hours of July 6, 2026, the 13th Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Council gathered at the Jeju City Fisheries Cooperative auction site. This was no ordinary visit. For Song Young-hoon, the council’s chairman, and his fellow committee leaders—including Ha Seong-yong, Jang Jeong-hoon, Lee Kyung-cheol, and Kim Ki-hwan—it marked the council’s very first field trip of the new term. Their mission? To listen, face-to-face, to the people living and working at the heart of Jeju’s fisheries industry—an industry currently battered by rising fuel costs, shrinking catch volumes, and falling auction prices for key fish species, as reported by iJejuToday.
Gathered around the auction site’s bustling floor, the council members met with Kim Kyung-pil, chairman of the Jeju City Fisheries Cooperative, and Park Jong-taek, head of the Jeju City Shipowners Association. The mood was earnest. Kim Kyung-pil did not mince words, highlighting the twin crises of an aging workforce and labor shortages. He pressed the council to expand fuel cost support for fishermen, especially in the wake of high oil prices fueled by ongoing Middle East conflicts. "Our fishermen are really struggling with the high oil prices after the Middle East war," Kim said, "so we need expanded support for fuel costs." But Kim also looked to the future, emphasizing that support for young fishermen must go beyond simple budget allocations. "We need tailored policy support so that young fishermen can settle stably," he urged.
Others echoed Kim’s concerns. Moon Yong-sik, vice chairman of the Shipowners Association, explained how rising fuel and fishing costs were piling pressure onto already stretched fishing businesses. Meanwhile, Park Jong-taek pointed to a different but equally pressing issue: marine debris. He pleaded for solutions to ensure that fishermen could continue their livelihoods without the threat of a polluted sea.
Chairman Song Young-hoon responded with a promise: "The voices we heard today will be reflected in real policy. The council will do everything possible to create support measures that fishermen can actually feel and to ensure the sustainable future of Jeju’s fisheries industry." According to iJejuToday, the 13th Council plans to keep visiting grassroots sites, drawing residents’ opinions directly into the legislative process. It’s all part of a wider push for citizen-centered governance—a theme that’s been gaining momentum across Jeju’s institutions.
Indeed, this spirit of listening and inclusion is spreading. From July 6 to July 10, the council is running a public contest to choose a new slogan and policy direction for its 13th term. As reported by JejuToday, the contest is open to anyone willing to submit a 15-character slogan or up to three statements about the council’s vision. The focus is on themes like citizen orientation, happiness, communication, empathy, and livelihood-focused legislation. Winners will be announced on July 20, with cash prizes totaling one million won up for grabs. "Through slogans and policy directions that reflect the voices of residents, the 13th council aims to establish a new identity and realize open, participatory governance," a council spokesperson explained.
This drive for participatory governance is mirrored in the executive branch. On July 11, Governor Wi Seong-gon’s administration will host its first town hall meeting at the Jeju International Convention Center. Themed “Our voices become Jeju’s future,” the event is designed to share the administration’s core values and seven strategic tasks—ranging from livelihood and AI transformation to climate, energy, and conflict resolution—while collecting live feedback from residents. As Jeju News details, Governor Wi has already conducted two listening tours and launched a communication channel, "Everyone’s Jeju," to gather public input. Now, the administration plans to integrate these voices even more deeply into policy, promising that suggestions made at the town hall will be answered by the relevant government departments. "The starting point for the 9th-term Jeju government is the voice of the people," Governor Wi emphasized. "This town hall is meant to design Jeju’s future together with residents."
But Jeju’s current efforts to build a more inclusive, responsive government are rooted in a decades-long journey toward autonomy and internationalization. As Jejusori reflected in a July 6 article marking the 20th anniversary of Jeju’s Special Self-Governing Province status, the island’s path has been anything but straightforward. Former President Roh Moo-hyun’s visit to Jeju in February 2003 was a turning point: he declared his intent to make Jeju a model for decentralization and special autonomy. By July 1, 2006, after years of heated debate over governance structures and the scope of local powers, Jeju officially became a Special Self-Governing Province. The new system was supposed to combine the ambitions of an international free city with innovative local governance. Early proposals included bold ideas like “No Visa, No Tax, No Regulation”—though, as Jejusori notes, only the visa-free policy was fully realized. Efforts to make English an official language, for instance, ran aground on local resistance and practical challenges.
Debates over the balance of power between local and central government have persisted. The Jeju International Free City Special Act, as analyzed by former Jeju official and lawyer Kim Seung-seok in JNuri, was amended in 2002 to promote Jeju as an international city focused on tourism, advanced science, and foreign investment. Key provisions included visa-free entry for many foreigners, foreign language services in government documents, special rules for foreign schools, and generous tax incentives for investment. In 2005, the government designated Jeju as the "Island of World Peace," launching peace initiatives and international forums. Yet critics, including Kim, have argued that central government control—particularly through the Jeju Development Center—has sometimes limited true local autonomy, leaving Jeju’s development subject to decisions made in Seoul rather than on the island itself.
Meanwhile, the real-world challenges facing Jeju’s people remain front and center. As the council’s early morning visit to the fisheries auction made clear, the lived experience of fishermen and other residents is often shaped by global events—like the Middle East conflict’s impact on oil prices—as much as by local policy. The council’s commitment to translating these voices into effective, tangible support is being tested in real time. And as Jeju’s government continues to experiment with new forms of citizen engagement, from slogan contests to open town halls, it’s clear that the island’s quest for a governance model that truly reflects its people is far from over.
Looking ahead, Jeju’s leaders are betting that more direct dialogue and policy shaped by grassroots input will help the island navigate its unique challenges—whether that’s sustaining its fisheries, building a more inclusive society, or realizing the promise of its special autonomy. The journey isn’t finished, but the determination to keep listening—and keep adapting—remains strong.