Concerns are mounting over the safety of tourists on Jeju Island after a 40-year-old woman was killed on the “Jeju Olle,”a 480-kilometer network of walking trails on the island.

The woman’s family blasted the security management of the island’s tourist destinations, and many women expressed concerns about visiting the paths.

The victim’s brother set up a blog Monday to criticize the Jeju Olle Foundation and local authorities over their safety and security measures on the trails.

“Not a single surveillance camera was installed. The trails aren’t as safe as they are promoted to be,” he said.

His angry comments came after Jeju police on Monday apprehended a 46-year-old man suspected of killing the woman who was hiking Olle on her own.

On Monday the suspect admitted to the crime and the body of the victim was found near the Olle No. 1 course.

The victim was reported missing on July 12 after visiting the island alone for trail-hiking and was last seen at the entrance of Olle No. 1 on the day she went missing.

Her shoe containing a severed wrist was found last Friday at a bus terminal 18 kilometers from where she was thought to have disappeared. The body part was severed using a sharp instrument.

Police said they arrested the suspect, who lived near the trail, when he tried to flee when questioned during a random inspection. He rented a car last Thursday.

The killing also worried people who visit the trails especially on their own. Frequent visitors to Jeju also said that some of the courses -- such as No. 1, No. 14 and No. 17 which are heavily forested -- could unnerve some tourists because of their seclusion and quietness.

“I was planning to visit Jeju next month for my summer holiday but am giving it second thoughts. After a report like this, being there doesn’t give me a sense of security,” 31-year-old office worker Kim Ju-yeon said.

The Jeju Olle Foundation in charge of developing and managing trails is gearing up to set safety measures to prevent crimes.

The foundation‘s head Seo Myeong-sook held a press conference Monday urging women to refrain from visiting the trails alone and instead group with friends to start their journey after 9 a.m. “We also ask the visitors to keep in touch with their families or friends often. Hiking after 6 p.m. during summer and 5 p.m. during winter is not advised,” she said.

“We are devastated to learn that Olle has become a place of crime. The foundation has joined hands with local police for patrols. We will work harder to ensure the safety of the visitors,” she said.



By Bae Ji-sook

(baejisook@heraldcorp.com)