On Walkabout On: Wolmi-do Island, South Korea

This week was the 59th anniversary of the Incheon Landing Operation that turned the course of the Korean War.   Wolmi-do is where the first American Marines landed at Green Beach on Wolmi-do to begin the critical operation to liberate the port city of Incheon from the North Korean communist aggressors:

Today Wolmi-do is not even an island due to land reclamation that has now connected the island to Incheon proper. You can in fact take a bus now to reach the “island”.  Wolmi-do is now a popular location due to its nice upscale waterfront that is built exactly where the Marines landed that day in 1950. The waterfront includes many trendy coffee shops and seafood restaurants. Outside on the weekends there is usually a cultural event of some kind taking place, plus fortune tellers and artists who will service you for a price. For the adventurous there is always the amusement park on the island to check out. It has many high flying rides and games to try.

Wolmi-do’s Waterfront

If that isn’t enough you can just sit and watch the sunset and the boats going by. You can also catch a boat at the ferry terminal to tour the numerous islands located in Incheon Bay. They even have special tour packages to view some of the islands made famous in Korean dramas and movies, such as one of my favorite Korean movies Silmi-do:

Silmi-do Movie Poster

Monument honoring US Marines that landed on Green Beach during the Incheon Landing Operation.

Wolmi-do island is viewable from just about anywhere in Incheon due to the large round hill that rises from the island. The hill on the island is called Radar Hill due to the large naval radar located on the top of the hill.  The hill is a popular place for locals to hike up and get some fresh air and views of the island and the Incheon harbor below.

Old Observation Tower on Radar Hill

Looking over Wolmi-do today it is hard to believe that this little island was the site of such fierce combat 59 years ago:

If for some reason you end up in Korea and are a fan of military history definitely take a trip to o trip to Incheon and Wolmi-do Island. Checking out military history, hiking up Radar Hill, eating seafood at one of the restaurants, going to the amusement park, and watching the sunset from the pier is enough to fill anyone’s day. Definitely worth checking out.