‘사업비 폭증’…설악산 오색케이블카 존폐 기로

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.