The project cost skyrocketing … Seoraksan Oeseok Cable Car at a crossroads of existence The Seoraksan Oeseok Cable Car project, which has been pending for 30 years, is facing a major crisis. The project cost, which was initially expected to be around 4.2 billion won, has now surged to over 10 billion won. As a result, the project’s future is uncertain, with the possibility of it being scrapped. The Gangwon-do Provincial Council has decided to review the project’s feasibility. On the 1st, the council passed a resolution urging the provincial governor to reevaluate the project. The resolution was proposed by Councilor Lee Sang-bong of the Democratic Party. The council will review the project’s feasibility and then decide whether to proceed with the project or cancel it. The Seoraksan Oeseok Cable Car project has been in limbo for 30 years. In 1990, the project was first proposed by the Oeseok Tourism Development Corporation. However, the project faced opposition from environmental groups and others, and its implementation was delayed. In 2015, the project was approved by the Ministry of Environment, and in 2017, the Gangwon-do Provincial Council approved the project. However, the project has been stalled due to a dispute over the project cost. The project involves the construction of a 6.5 km cable car line from Oeseok in Sokcho to Ulsanbawi Rock in Seoraksan. The cable car is expected to boost tourism in the region. However, environmental groups have expressed concerns about the project’s impact on the environment. The project has been criticized for its potential harm to the natural ecosystem of Seoraksan. The Gangwon-do Provincial Council’s review of the project’s feasibility is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The council’s decision on the project’s future is expected to have significant implications for the region’s tourism industry. The Seoraksan Oeseok Cable Car project has been a contentious issue for many years. Its fate will be decided in the coming months.
The Osaek Cable Car project on Osaek Mountain in Pyeongchang County has faced significant budget overruns, threatening its future. The project, which has been underway for over 40 years, has seen a sharp increase in project costs due to a change in the design of the new ground support structure. The county plans to analyze the situation and present the findings in late October, after which the mayor of Pyeongchang County, Kim Jeong-jung, will personally explain the results to the public in November.
The change in design from a single cable car to a dual-use ground support structure has led to a significant increase in project costs and an extension of the project timeline. Environmental groups have warned that the total project cost could rise to 1.6 trillion won (around 400 billion won more than the current 1172 billion won), placing a heavy financial burden on the county.
Despite this, the county has received its full share of the promised funding, which amounts to 224 billion won. However, the mayor of Pyeongchang County, U U-sang, has stated that the county has already fulfilled its financial obligations and that additional financial burdens may hinder the project's progress. The chief of the National Park Service, U Ja-chul, has highlighted the need for each stage of the process to be completed, which can take a long time and contribute to delays.
The county is now at a crossroads, with the outcome of the audit being crucial to determining whether the project can continue or not.
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