▲ Photo by Team Oh My News

[This article is written by a JDC Junior Journalist. The JDC Junior Journalist program is an educational project sponsored by Jeju Free International City Development Center (JDC). JDC Junior Journalist articles are only briefly edited by mentors before publishing.]

The last interview of junior journalists took place in the biggest aerospace museum in Asia, Jeju Aerospace museum (JAM). Prior to interview, a tour guide leaded the junior journalists through the museum. It was amazing how much much they have invested to the museum and all the works people have done to the museum. After watching 5D video at Polaris theater, they finally started to interview visitors. To maximize the efficiency, they splited into several groups, seeking for a proper interviewee. There were lots of visitors with their families and babies. Based on the knowledge they learned from the tour guide, they asked questions about how JAM can contribute to the image of international city.

Firstly, a 39-year-old man with his family from Masan said that one of his children researched the museum on the Internet. He added that this museum will attract parents with young kids because it is educationally beneficial. The other interviewee, who is a citizen of Jeju island, revealed that she found out about this place through her colleague’s recommendations. About the main question (How can JAM contribute to the tourism of Jeju?), she thought quite the same as the previous interviewee, that it would attract families with young children. An employee of JDC said that the museum has several advantages because it is the largest in Asia, and it has various kinds of real aircrafts. Also, she thought so because it has lots of hands-on activies and it has receivers and other devices which helps visitors to understand about the contents it is providing. A teacher from Jeju island, suggested some disadvantages of the museum. “Since visitors have to pay additional fees to participate in some hands-on activities, it might be little hard to visit the museum often and fully experience the museum.

Without paying additional fees, all that visitors can do is just watching aircrafts.” She added, “ I expect this museum to contribute to tourism industry of Jeju, and it’s a great thing that Jeju has such a big museum. However, there are tons of museums, some deals with same or similar topics, right now. If Jeju considers more of educational features and innovative ideas, tourism industry will definitely improve.”
Jeju Aerospace museum is not only attractive to Jeju citizens, but it is also drawing visitors from other cities and countries. Improving and advancing some disadvantages it has and it would become the leader of the tourism industry of Jeju.