MOKPO, South Korea, March 30 (Korea Bizwire) – The southwestern port city of Mokpo is offering visitors a special experience on a traditional sailing ship called an onggi-bae. Wooden ships of this type operated until the 1980s off the south coast of the peninsula to transport various pottery items (onggi), which were essential household items at the time.

According to the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage, the experience will be offered on the last Wednesday of every month (designated as Culture Day) starting April 26, until September 27.

Sailing on a vessel 17.9 meters long and 5.4 meters wide that was manufactured in 2010, visitors will be able to learn traditional navigational skills as well as boatman’s songs from two of the actual pilots who maneuvered onggi-bae in the 1970s and 80s.

Image Credit: Cultural Heritage Administration / photonews@koreabizwire.com