Full-size replica of Joseon envoy ship to sail four South Coast cities in July

The National Institute of Maritime Heritage under the National Heritage Administration will operate a series of voyages aboard a replica Joseon Tongsinsa ship across Goheung-gun, Yeosu, Tongyeong and Busan through July 31, marking the 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee session. The event uses a full-size reconstruction of a traditional Korean wooden vessel to highlight the value of regional maritime heritage and reflect on the spirit of peace and cultural exchange between Korea and Japan.

The Joseon Tongsinsa ship carried diplomatic missions of about 500 envoys dispatched at Japan's request across the Korea Strait and Tsushima Strait — passing through Shimonoseki, the gateway to the Japanese mainland, and on to Osaka — a total of 12 times over roughly 200 years from 1607 to 1811, following the Imjin War. As part of a traditional shipbuilding research project launched in 2018, the National Institute of Maritime Heritage built a full-size replica and has since retraced the historic Korea-Japan sea route: departing from waters off Busan, the vessel reached Tsushima in 2023, Shimonoseki in 2024 and Osaka in 2025.

During the voyage events, visitors can enjoy performances of pansori and samulnori and explore an on-board museum featuring video presentations, paintings, photographs and maps — guided by a curator — documenting the achievements of the sea-route reenactments and the traditional Korean shipbuilding techniques behind the vessel.

The ship departs Mokpo on Wednesday and heads to its first stop, Goheung-gun (July 11–13), sailing along the tidal flats included in "Korea's Tidal Flats Phase 2" — a UNESCO World Heritage tentative list entry — and through the waters of the Battle of Sado, where Admiral Yi Sun-sin defeated Japanese forces in 1598 near the end of the Jeongyu War, just before the Battle of Noryang. At Nokdong Port in Goheung-gun, a drone show and maritime fireworks display themed around Korea's World Heritage sites are scheduled from 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, to mark the opening of the World Heritage Committee session. The drone show is a regular nighttime tourism program run by Goheung-gun every Saturday from April through October at Nokdong Port; this year, 900 drones — 200 more than last year — will light up the night sky.

The ship then moves to Yeosu (July 17–18), where the itinerary takes in maritime cultural heritage sites connected to Admiral Yi Sun-sin — including the Yeosu tidal flats, also on the UNESCO tentative list, and Jeolla Jwasuyeong, the naval headquarters from which Yi commanded Joseon's fleet and deployed the turtle ship during the Imjin War. In Tongyeong (July 21–22), the vessel sails through the waters of the Battle of Hansando — one of the three great victories of the Imjin War, won through Yi's crane-wing formation — offering visitors a chance to appreciate the admiral's naval history and the broader significance of Korea's maritime culture.

In Busan (July 25–26), the institute will host events for delegations from World Heritage Committee member states and other prominent domestic and international guests, as well as members of the public selected through advance registration. The program will showcase the on-board museum, traditional Korean music performances and decorative dancheong paintwork reflecting the historical significance of the Joseon Tongsinsa ship, introducing Korea's traditional shipbuilding craftsmanship to an international audience. Participants can also board the vessel and visit Dongbaek Island or Oryukdo. Throughout the events, visitors will find photo zones featuring the "Brave Dubai Chewy Cookie Aboard the Joseon Tongsinsa Ship" character, developed using Devsisters' Cookie Run franchise.