Jeju Province is speeding up efforts to expand road, rail, port, and airport infrastructure. Although the number of tourists has stayed in the 13 million range for four straight years, large-scale transportation projects are moving ahead in succession—such as widening the mid-mountain road, reviewing the construction of an urban rail system, developing Jeju New Port, and building the second airport—to restore visitor numbers to the former annual level of 15 million and prepare for future demand. Jeju's sluggish construction market is also showing signs of recovery this year, driven by expanded public tenders and the push for major projects.
◇ Expansion to four lanes on the Gwideok–Sanggari section
According to Jeju Provincial Government offices on the 8th, the province recently completed the selection of a design contractor for the project to widen the Gwideok–Sanggari section of the mid-mountain road, a key transportation axis in the western area. Jeju plans to carry out design work for about two years, then begin construction, with completion targeted for 2031.
The project will widen about 7 km from Gwideok-ri in Hallim-eup to Sanggari in Aewol-eup from the current two lanes, both ways, to four lanes. The project budget is 73.3 billion won. Along with the Bonggae–Wasan section (8.8 km; 124.9 billion won), the mid-mountain road widening totals 15.8 km and 198.2 billion won, emerging as a core axis in reorganizing Jeju's transportation network.
The mid-mountain road is a major arterial road that connects Jeju's east–west axis. Traffic generally flows more smoothly than on the coastal ring road, so rental car use is higher, but rising tourist numbers in the Aewol–Hallim area and increased traffic volumes have recently combined to cause congestion on some sections.
A Jeju provincial official said, "The expansion of the Gwideok–Sanggari section is a key project to improve transportation conditions in western Jeju," adding, "Once the project is completed, we expect it will ease traffic congestion and improve tourist accessibility."
◇ From urban rail to the second airport
In tandem with expanding road infrastructure, discussions on building an urban rail system are continuing. Recently, the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) has been conducting a fresh analysis of traffic demand and economic feasibility for an alternative route for Jeju Line 1, as well as a link to the second airport and a loop line, in connection with the Jeju urban rail network plan. The review also includes ways to shift airport and rental car demand to urban rail and to reflect new demand from transit-oriented development around stations.
Port infrastructure projects are also expanding. Phase 2 of the Jeju Outer Port development is centered on building berthing facilities and rear-area land. The core is to resolve the shortage of berths (ship docking facilities) and reallocate port functions.
The Jeju New Port development project is also gaining speed. The project will reclaim waters off Tap-dong in Jeju City to build a large port that includes a cruise pier and a general cargo pier. The total project cost is about 3.8278 trillion won. The government recently announced a change to the basic construction plan for Jeju New Port to shorten the project period. Once completed, Jeju New Port is expected to significantly expand the island's capacity to accommodate cruise tourism.
Follow-up procedures are also underway for Jeju's second airport project, considered the island's largest infrastructure undertaking. The government is currently conducting an environmental impact assessment and basic design. The total project cost is about 5.4532 trillion won. The core aim is to address saturation at Jeju Airport due to increasing tourist numbers.
As various infrastructure projects—roads, rail, ports, and airports—move forward, Jeju's previously sluggish construction orders are gradually recovering. Jeju's construction orders plunged from 1.2766 trillion won in 2024 to around 590 billion won in 2025, entering a slump. However, orders in January–February this year totaled 184.7 billion won, up 396% from a year earlier. Jeju plans to execute about 90% in the first half of this year out of 1,662 facility projects worth 100 million won or more, totaling 2.178 trillion won.
Meanwhile, the number of tourists to Jeju has remained flat in recent years. Jeju welcomed about 13.88 million visitors in 2022, about 13.37 million in 2023, about 13.77 million in 2024, and about 13.84 million in 2025, staying in the 13 million range for four consecutive years. Compared with the all-time high of 15.85 million in 2016, the figure is still lower by roughly 1.5 million to 2 million.