Suh Myung Sook
South Korean journalist (1957–2026)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Suh Myung Sook[2] (Korean: 서명숙; October 23, 1957 – April 7, 2026) was a South Korean journalist and founder of the Jeju Olle Trail.
Suh Myung Sook | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born | October 23, 1957 Seogwipo, Jeju Province, South Korea |
| Died | April 7, 2026 (aged 68) Seogwipo, Jeju Province, South Korea |
| Known for | Creating the Jeju Olle Trail |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 서명숙 |
| Hanja | 徐明淑 [1] |
| RR | Seo Myeongsuk |
| MR | Sŏ Myŏngsuk |
Biography
Suh was born in Seogwipo, Jeju Province, South Korea on October 23, 1957.[3] Her father was a North Korean defector from Musan County that deserted from the Korean People's Army and eventually settled on Jeju Island. Suh Myung Sook had two brothers. Her mother ran a store in the Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market.[4] She lived on Jeju until she completed high school, then graduated from the education department of Korea University in Seoul in 1976.[3][4] In 1979, she was arrested and served 236 days in prison for her pro-democracy advocacy under the Park Chung Hee administration.[4][5]
Career in journalism
Suh worked for the university newspaper Korea University News (고대신문) while in school. After graduating, Suh worked for the magazines Madang (마당) and Hangukin (한국인).[6]
In 2001, she was appointed editor-in-chief of Sisa Journal.[3][7] In 2005, she was appointed editor-in-chief of the online newspaper OhmyNews.[1]
Jeju Olle Trail
In fall of 2006, after feeling burnt out,[4] Suh resigned her position and decided to walk the Camino de Santiago trail in Spain.[8] The experience was transformative for her, and inspired her to create a similar trail for Jeju. In 2007, she established the Jeju Olle Foundation and began personally walking and creating trails on the island.[3] She recruited her friends and siblings to help her find and create more trails.[9]
The first trail opened in September 2007. The trails circumnavigated the island by November 2012, although they continue to be redesigned and added to.[9] As of 2026[update], there are 26 trails with a total length of 437 km (272 mi). By 2025, 13 million people had walked on at least parts of the trail.[4] Over 25,000 people have completed the entire trail.[9] The impact of the trail on the economy of the island is significant, with the Jeju Institute estimating an annual economic impact of ₩1.2 trillion (US$844 million).[4]
She also inspired and assisted the creation of similar trails in other countries. In 2012, four Kyushu Olle Trails opened in Japan. In 2017, the Mongol Olle Trail was established.[6]
Later life and death
Suh was described as a notorious chain smoker. She was diagnosed with stomach cancer around a decade before her death. She quit smoking and drinking alcohol, but the cancer eventually spread to her lungs.[4] Suh died on April 7, 2026 in Seogwipo.[10] A funeral and memorial service was held for her on April 10 at Seobok Park, which is located on Trail 6 of the Jeju Olle Trail.[3]
Suh was reputed to be have a fiery disposition. Her tombstone, located in the temple Namguk Seonwon (남국선원) in Seogwipo, reads, "Hush, lest you wake the queen" (쉿, 영왕님 깨실라).[8]
Awards
- Ashoka Fellow (2017)[6]
- Order of Civil Merit, Dongbaek Medal (2017)[10][6]
- Order of Civil Merit, Moran Medal (2026)[11][12]