A rural bit of South Korea tries to become a tourism hotspot
But residents are not sure they want the local economy to be revived
THE ISLANDS of Sinan county, off South Korea’s south-western coast, have never been a centre of anything much. Sustained by fishing, seaweed harvesting and salt farming, most are sparsely populated or entirely uninhabited. Reaching Mokpo, the nearest city, requires choppy ferry rides or slow car journeys along winding roads and across enormous bridges. As in most rural areas of South Korea, the local population is shrinking and ageing fast—and economic opportunities have been atrophying with it.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Purple pose”
Asia March 27th 2021
- A rural bit of South Korea tries to become a tourism hotspot
- Cambodia’s strongman is trying opposition politicians en masse
- While India and China bicker, ethnic-Chinese Indians move away
- India’s ruling party finds a new way to hamstring the opposition
- As it turns 50, Bangladesh is doing well, despite its politicians
- India and China are finding vaccine diplomacy tricky
From the March 27th 2021 edition
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