All parties sign an MOU on July 2 agreeing on marketing efforts to attract contractors and provide administrative support

Theme park, accommodations and more to be completed by 2020 in Hwaseong Songsan Green City 

◇ Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil, Hwaseong City Mayor Chae In-seok, K-Water CEO Choi Gye-woon, Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly member Choi Ji-yong and other guests pose in front of the camera at the MOU signing ceremony between public organizations for the successful completion of the International Theme Park. The ceremony took place on July 2 at the Sonsan Construction Corps inside Hwaseong Songsan Green City. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Heo Seon-ryang

The Hwaseong Songsan Green City International Theme Park project, which was suspended in 2007 after failing to reach settlement over real estate issues, is set to resume. 

On July 2, Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil, Hwaseong City Mayor Chae In-seok, and K-Water CEO Choi Gye-woon signed an MOU on mutual cooperation between public organizations for the successful completion of the International Theme Park at the Songsan Construction Corps located in Hwaseong Songsan Green City; they agreed to cooperate closely in pursuing the project.

More than 100 guests including Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly member Choi Ji-yong (Saenuri Party), Hwaseong City Assembly Chairman Park Jong-seon (New Politics Alliance for Democracy), Hwaseong City community leader head Kim Jong-seop, Namyang-eup community leader head Park Moon-joon, local representatives, and nearby neighborhood residents attended the ceremony as well. 

With the opening targeted for the year 2020, the International Theme Park will feature a theme park, hotels, retail facilities, and a golf course on a site of 4,200,146m² in the east sector of Hwaseong Songsan Green City. When completed, the Gyeonggi Provincial Government expects the International Theme Park to bring in over 15 million domestic and international tourists and more than KRW 3 trillion annually.

According to the agreement, Gyeonggi Province, Hwaseong City, and K-Water will cooperate in real estate provisions, involvement of public organizations, licensing and approval necessary for the International Theme Park, joint marketing efforts to attract businesses, and information exchange. 

In particular, all parties agreed to review the conditions of providing real estate and offering various incentives within relevant legal limits to improve the viability of the International Theme Park. An agreement was reached to form a working-level council to implement the decisions reached based on cooperative endeavors.

Per the agreement, Gyeonggi Province will host a public competition for the project concept that will close on August 14 and then select a counterpart for preferential negotiations by the end of this year. By the first half of 2016, the province plans to sign an enforcement agreement with select businesses and begin construction work in earnest. 

◇ At the ceremony, Governor Nam Kyung-pil said, “I am very pleased to resume the International Theme Park project, which has been adrift for a while.” He added, “With the International Theme Park, I expect Hwaseong Songsan Green City to establish itself as key infrastructure for marine tourism and to have a great impact on the local economy by directly employing more 10,000 people.” ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Heo Seon-ryang

Governor Nam Kyung-pil said, “I am very pleased to resume the International Theme Park project, which has been adrift for a while.” He added, “With the International Theme Park, I expect Hwaseong Songsan Green City to establish itself as key infrastructure for marine tourism and to have a great impact on the local economy by creating more employment opportunities.”

Governor Nam also mentioned, “We will cooperate closely with relevant organizations to successfully pursue this project. With steadfast support from Seo Cheong-won, a member of the National Assembly who amended relevant legislations and played a crucial role in rekindling this project, the provincial government will be the biggest supporter for the International Theme Park.”

Hwaseong City Mayor Chae In-seok said, “Hwaseong citizens have eagerly anticipated the International Theme Park, which is expected to play a vital role in terms of sustainable local development.” He continued, “Together with the support of Hwaseong citizens, we will actively cooperate with the central government, Gyeonggi Province, and K-Water.”

K-Water CEO Choi Gye-woon said, “The International Theme Park will stimulate the local economy by employing over 58,000 people during its construction and over 46,000 people when it is complete.” He continued, “For the success of this project, active support and cooperation from the central government, local municipalities, and the public sector is necessary. K-Water will do its best for this project, which has been a long-cherished ambition of local citizens in Hwaseong.”

The Songsan Green City International Theme Park project was originally launched with an MOU signed between nine parties of the USKR Consortium which included Gyeonggi Province, Hwaseong City, K-Water, Lotte Asset Development, POSCO E&C, and Korea Investment and Securities in 2007. The project, however, was discontinued when participants failed to consolidate their differences regarding real estate contracts. 

When the International Theme Park was selected as one of President Park Guen-hye’s election pledges, and once the Revised Bill for the Industrial Location and Development Act proposed by National Assembly member Seo Cheong-won passed the Assembly plenary session on April 30, the possibility of resuming the project increased greatly. The amended bill contains legal support for creating the International Theme Park. It proposes the selection of contractors through a public competition rather than a bidding process, and it also makes it possible to supply uncategorized land.

◇ Governor Nam and other participants visit the International Theme Park site after the ceremony to hear about the development plans. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Heo Seon-ryang

ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News | Roh Kyung-hee khrohh@kg21.net 

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