Jeju Olle founder posthumously awarded top cultural medal

The government posthumously awarded the Moran Medal of the Order of Civil Merit to the late Suh Myung-sook, the founding president of the Jeju Olle Foundation, in recognition of her pioneering contribution to eco-tourism and sustainable travel in Korea.

On Saturday, Chae Hwi-young, minister of culture, sports and tourism, visited the Jeju Olle Traveler Center on Jeju Island to present the prestigious medal to her bereaved family.

Suh died in April at the age of 68.

"Through the medium of walking tours, the late president built a sustainable ecological and cultural space where nature, travelers and local residents harmoniously coexist," an official from the culture ministry said.

Suh’s legacy dates back to 2007, when she established the nonprofit Jeju Olle Foundation and began creating and operating the very first trail on Korea's southern volcanic island.

Inspired by her own journey along the famous Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St.

James, in Spain, the former journalist sought to create a trekking route that could help tired people from the city relax and enjoy the beautiful scene ...