LEGOLAND THEME PARK UNVEILED

[Anchor Lead]

The inside of a Legoland theme park being built in Chuncheon, Gangwondo Province has been unveiled to the media for the first time. There are expectations the park will be a new tourist hotspot but also concerns of a massive debt.

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​A new theme park is constructed on Joungdo Island in Chuncheon in the middle of Uiamho Lake. This Legoland has a 59 meter tall observatory tower that offers a full view of the lake... as well as a lego-themed merry-go-round and a “water academy” were visitors can enjoy small boat rides. True to the name, there are splendid lego works on display such as this elephant made with thousands of lego blocks. Korea’s first Legoland. It's the tenth one globally.

[Soundbite] Lee Jeong-il(Executive director, Chuncheon Legoland) : "It is a lego-themed, family-centered theme park showcasing a lot of lego bricks."

The park is 280-thousand square meters in size. It will open on May 5th next year when Children’s Day is celebrated in Korea. Gangwondo Province aims to link the theme park and nearby Uiamho Lake to create a new tourist destination.

[Soundbite] An Gwon-yong(Gangwon-do provincial gov’t) : "Tour package products will connect Legoland with other attractions and festivals in the region. Marketing efforts will be stepped up to boost local tourism."

However, as commercial land surrounding the park remains unsold, it’s possible that Legoland and Lego Hotel will be the only ones opening in the area. There are growing concerns over a major burden on Gangwondo's finances, as the province and Joungdo Development Corporation have incurred a debt of over 200 billion won for the construction, while the total public funds injected into the project easily surpass 400 billion.