Cheju-do, the largest and most southern
of South Korea's islands, has many similarities with Hawaii, including black volcanic
lava rock, steep cliffs, beautiful beaches, rich farmland and unique aquamarine
coastal waters. Once named by Newsweek magazine as one of the 10 most unspoiled
tourist paradises in the world, Cheju is only an hour's flight from Seoul and is an
especially favorite destination for Korean and Japanese vacationers.
As outlined in
the Korean government's new plans and proposals, major investments are underway to further develop Cheju
while also maintaining and protecting the unique cultural and environmental resources
of the island and its inhabitants.
As
can be found in following the links below, Cheju's also plays a
unique and central role as part of South Korea's national as well
as Asia-wide regional development strategy.
While working with
Bechtel, a major
international development corporation, Dr. Cobb led the company's marketing effort with national
and local governmental and industry officials in Seoul and on Cheju Island, which
resulted in securing the company's initial development and investment programming
contract for Cheju Province.
Dr. Cobb also served as initial project manager for
Cheju Island land development and finance strategies addressing: international market assessment for
tourism, banking and commercial expansion; sustainable tourism facilities development-expansion
planning; economic development public-private finance initiatives; island-wide
infrastructure and transportation upgrading; and management programming for project
implementation.
Based on
earlier recommendations relating to Bechtel International’s
strategic development plan formulated in 1988, the government
of
South Korea
ultimately provided the legal basis for establishing
Cheju
Island
as an “international city”.
Ratified in
March 2002, the Special
Act on Cheju Free International City provides for the
establishment of “institutional provisions…to ensure freedom
of movement of people, commodities and capital…” The act goes
on to insure that the island has been grant authority to guarantee
to the maximum limit the ability to accommodate the needs of the
“international investment” community.
Specifically,
the act also states that the provincial government has the
authority “… to foster and develop Cheju-do into an
international tourist and recreation city as well as an
international free city performing the complex functions such as
business, high-technology, distribution and financial
industry…”and focusing “…on matters concerning the
promotion of international exchanges and cooperation.
Also, one of
the major unique components of the act designates Cheju-do as the
"Island of World Peace" especially focusing on creating
a venue and forum for promoting dialogue relating to regional and
world peace issues and solutions.
