Special Interview: A member of Culture, Sports and Tourism Subcommittee
PARK Ju-Han, Sports Department of Seoul Women's University
"We can reduce as much as annual budget of Seoul. How can we save the KRW 20 trillion much equal to yearly budget of Seoul? The Four Major Rivers Restoration Project has the resolution already", says Professor Park. Any ground for that? Of course, he tells us more.
1. The residents to be healthier would make benefits return annually KRW 20 trillion
When eco-friendly riverside area will be newly created, residents become to gain more opportunities to take a walk and xercise so that they become healthier than before.
"According to the year 2007 report of 'Korea Sport Science Institute', the one who exercise 30 minutes 2 to 3 days per week could reduce medical expenditure to KRW 80,000(Approx. US$ 67) and gain more working time so to obtain additional economic effect of KRW 460,000. Converting this amount into working population, we can anticipate in economic benefit of KRW 20 trillion which is equivalent to yearly budget of Seoul."
If once we create cultural spaces and leisure-sports facilities in riparian area, it naturally leads the usage by residents so that economic effect cannot help grow bigger, he said. He continued to say, "After the five-day work week settled stably, mountain climbers have so increased that many mountain climbing equipment were sold to raise the value of brands of the equipment. That is also an example of economic ripple effect". he underlined, "When 'the Sports Park' are constructed by regions, sports infrastructure cannot help being considerably equipped."
2. Bike paths will lead us enlarged economic effect
Bike paths are indispensable to the every riparian areas of the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project. Professor Park forecasted that, after the project, bike commuter will increase sharply with also high economic effect. Thanks to the increase in low-income population and bike enthusiasts, after the project, the amount of bike users will be elevated about 10%, he foresaw.
"According to the report from Traffic Research Institute surveyed in 2008, provided that only 10% of car commuters join to the side of bike group, its ripple effect of economy reaches KRW 1.7 trillion." He says. "Thanks to well-paved bike paths along the Han River, it only takes 20 minutes from home (Gangdong-gu) to Banpo district. When I go to workplace (Seoul Women's University), more or less 50 minute ride is enough to reach."
3. The riparian area of the four rivers turns into tourism infrastructure
Professor Park, most of all, has found the necessity of the project in 'the utilization of riparian space'. He amplifies, "Up until now, our riparian areas are inadequately accessible to people. Provided that Seoul has developed the riverside area to some degree, but it is not satisfactory yet. If we let the riparian areas be utilizable for residents for recreation, the city can be revitalized." Professor Park said, "Since we restore the riparian area respectively from each local characteristic, the future effect of tourism can be maximized."
The basins of the four rivers can be transformed into excellent tourists' attractions, if we developed them deliberate plan for each regions' distinctive features.
Job creation must be also a significant outgrowth of the project. Professor Park reasserted, "Concerning sports, the most important preconditions straddle sports facilities, trainers and program. We need much more sports facilities for people while we have plenty of trainers. Out of the project, we can expect much more sports facilities which need more occupation to build." He depicts with expectation.
