A street in Chinatown in the southeastern South Korean port city of Busan remains vacant on Feb. 5, 2020, amid fears of the new coronavirus that originated in China. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 28 (Korea Bizwire) — A Korea-China Cultural Town planned for Gangwon Province is being placed under review following massive criticism.
Officials from Gangwon Province recently announced the view of Kolon Global Corp., leading the Chinatown project, that the construction of the Korea-China Cultural Town “may not proceed”.
Kolon said the project has nothing to do with building a residential complex.
“We cannot, however, overlook the concerns shown by more than 650,000 people who have signed the petition,” Kolon said.
“We understand that the Korea-China Cultural Town may not proceed any further.”
The project was being carried out across 12 million square meters of land in Hongcheon County, Gangwon Province, with a business agreement between Gangwon Province and the principal parties involved signed in December 2018.
Last January, some 5 billion won (US$4.5 million) were invested to establish a special purpose company.
It was Kolon’s original plan to attract Chinese tourists by setting up various performance and experiential platforms.
However, a number of civic groups described the project as a “forestep to China’s cultural and historical infringement,” and have since voiced strong opposition to the project.
On an online petition site run by the presidential office, more than 650,000 people signed a petition, posted late last month, calling for the immediate abortion of the Chinatown project.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
