The biggest cause of the devastation is the disregard of tourists and visitors. (Yonhap)
TAEBAEK, Mar. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — A coal mining town is one of the facilities at the Taebaek Activity Park in Gangwon Province, which was opened in 2006 with an investment of 13 billion won (US$11.5 million) for the project.
The Taebaek Activity Park consists of a field trip center and mining town.
The field trip center expanded and renovated the closed Hamtae Coal Mine facility in 1993, and the 7,800-square-meter coal mining complex was built on a nearby site.
However, the coal mining experience town with facilities such as private homes, private offices, public restrooms, a distribution station, and laundry facilities has been devastated.
The entrance gate is rusted red with the paint peeled off, and a mill has been completely broken.
The present appearance of the coal mining town, which feels even bleaker due to the dense weeds, overshadows the notice board, which reads, “Please refrain from touching or damaging the exhibits to protect our precious cultural heritage.”
The biggest cause of the devastation is the disregard of tourists and visitors.
The number of paid visitors to the Taebaek Activity Park decreased every year from a maximum of 33,000 in the first year of its opening to 14,000 in 2007 and 10,000 in 2008.
“The construction in front of the entrance has prevented the opening of the door for about a year and a half,” a Taebaek city official said. “We are considering ways to activate the park once again.”
D. M. Park (dmpark@koreabizwire.com)
