International students all in on Jeju’s net-zero goal with Global Youth in Jeju tour

With climate change response becoming more urgent, Jeju Island is gaining attention for its new sustainable tourism model. The Global Youth in Jeju Net Zero Tour, jointly hosted by Jeju Island and the Korea JoongAng Daily on June 4 and 5, is an innovative program that combines environmental education and future industry experiences beyond simple tourism.

Promoting carbon-free goal

The event was organized to promote Jeju’s Carbon Free Island 2030 goal to the world through public-private cooperation involving the Korea JoongAng Daily, the Jeju Tourism Organization, Jeju Dream Tower and the Korea Energy Agency Jeju Regional Office.

About 80 international students from 34 different countries, recruited through the Korea JoongAng Daily’s K-Campus program, participated. The tour was designed as a global “learn-cation” — a portmanteau of “learning” and “vacation” — program under the slogan “Meeting Jeju’s Values on a Sustainable Path.”

From cleaning up to racing down

The highlight of the tour was the “plogging” activity done at Gimnyeong Beach, during which participants picked up litter as they walked or jogged. Through the beach cleanup activities led by the environmental group Save Jeju Bada, participants experienced firsthand that marine waste is not merely a regional problem but a global challenge. Viktor Lvov, a Russian exchange student, said, “I became more interested in Jeju’s carbon-neutral policies, and the experiences here that I couldn’t normally have had felt very special.”

Participants also experienced the world’s first non-motorized racing experience at 9.81 Park, confirming the potential for sustainable leisure activities like the gravity-powered race. Through ecological content activities with local Jeju startups, the students witnessed how local economic development and environmental protection can coincide in harmony. Additionally, they visited Jeju’s food waste treatment facility and had the opportunity to draw a blueprint for future industries using biogas.

Sharing with the world

The tour is special in that it encourages students to engage in active learning experiences, not merely providing a tour. Participants were given several tasks including promoting the field trip content through social media, developing tourism marketing strategies tailored to their home countries and creating ideas for Jeju-style learning vacation programs.

“We will strengthen our position as a global environmental, social, and governance tourism city by spreading the value of Jeju’s natural heritage and carbon neutrality goals,” said a Jeju Tourism Organization official. The initiative demonstrates the potential for genuine net-zero tours through sustainable tourism models that combine education, experience and environmental protection.

BY LEE YEBIN [lee.yebin1@joongang.co.kr]