President Lee Myung-bak has not only decided to continue Roh’s Saemangeum project, but to finish it 10 years ahead of schedule.
Saemangeum — a “Korean version of Dubai” by 2020.
Well, Koreans are Nothing if Not Ambitious
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Is it really necessary to have an international airport in Gunsan? It kills me how many airports there are here. Like in Sacheon. Seriously? Sacheon?
Won’t the Korean version of Dubai have some trouble attracting capital away from the Korean version of Singapore in Songdo?
As a qualified English teacher, I’d like nothing more than to see this plan become a reality. Gravy train!
As a realist, however . . . let’s just say I’m not holding my breath.
And as a cynic, I’m not surprised that 2MB is supporting an endeavor that would require massive construction contracts. Why invest in existing infrastructure when you can build new infrastructure from the ground up?. . . or in this case, from the sea up.
Not to speak of the Korean version of Manhattan and Central Park in Yongsan….
“Is it really necessary to have an international airport in Gunsan?”
No, but it might be a good make work project to employ a lot of people for a few years, plus an opportunity to award some juicy contracts to one’s friends/supporters.
“It kills me how many airports there are here.”
A shitload for a small country, eh? However, I guess that Yangyang Airport was a replacement for airports in both Sokcho and Gangneung, so there are cases when fewer is deemed to be better than more.
A “Korean version of Dubai?”No, a devastated wetlands turned into unneeded landfill that’s arguably worse than Lee’s stupid canal idea.
“South Korea has shrugged off protest at home and abroad about a sea barrage that will destroy one of Asia’s most valuable wetland sites – a vital feeding area for threatened migratory birds and nursery for dwindling fish stocks.”
http://tve.org/news/doc.cfm?aid=1190
From Wikipedia’s entry on Yangyang Airport:
“In 2007, 33,686 passengers used the airport. Currently, there are no scheduled flights to this airport.”
Sometimes it seems like Korean policy/urban planners have watched the film “field of Dreams” too many times. Build it and they will come- apparently not to Yangyang though
The most absurd project entails spending megabucks to build up a huge coastal ‘tourism center’. Now ask yourself.. what kind of thing could they possibly build that would convince westerners , Japanese and Chinese, to go to some obscure area of the Korean coast and spend a week??
Oh, and they’ve already yanked the one flight in and outta Seoul that used to do the Kunsan run.. so if they wanna do a development that goes to where development is really needed, they’re in the right part of Korea. A total pipe dream..
Oh, and they’ve already yanked the one flight in and outta Seoul that used to do the Kunsan run.. so if they wanna do a development that goes to where development is really needed, they’re in the right part of Korea. A total pipe dream..this proves that drug use IS up in Korea and it’s most prevalent amongst the leadership, apparently. ;p
Wow, “Cyrus” used the exact analogy that I decided not to post.
The “Field of Dreams” mania is indeed a problem in Korea that drains much public money. For a general example, when XXX-city builds two 800-100 seat theatres that no one uses for shows and concerts, who pays for that plus maintenance and personnel?
Ironically enough, Dubai can boast of a large variety of migratory bird habitats (~320 varieties) whereas this longest-running boondoggle of a bad idea, in Korea, has destroyed the largest bird sanctuary in Asia.
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