Seosan, a city in South Chungcheong Province, said on the 13th that it will spend 16.6 billion won (about $11.6 million) to build or expand four park golf courses in the city.
The projects cover four areas: Yangdae-dong, Jigok-myeon, Daesan-eup and Haemi-myeon. The city said the plan reflects requests for more sports facilities raised at public meetings with residents and is intended to improve access to community sports.
The first course to be completed is the Seosan Park Golf Course, also known as the Yangdae-dong course. The city is spending 1 billion won to add 18 holes to the existing 36, bringing the total to 54. Finishing work, including turf planting, is under way, and construction is scheduled to wrap up this month.
In Daeyo-ri, Jigok-myeon, the city will spend 5.3 billion won to build a new 18-hole course. After land compensation procedures are completed, the course is targeted to open in the second half of next year.
An 18-hole course will also be built in Daero-ri, Daesan-eup. The city plans to break ground in April next year once administrative procedures are finalized. A course in Hueam-ri, Haemi-myeon, is scheduled for completion by 2030 following a cultural heritage excavation survey.
The city currently operates two public park golf courses: the Seosan Park Golf Course and the 18-hole Yeokcheon Park Golf Course in Unsan-myeon. Once the projects are finished, the number of city-run courses will rise to five.
"The valuable comments residents gave us on the ground became the driving force behind building a healthy and vibrant Seosan," Seosan Mayor Lee Wan-sup said. "We will build sports infrastructure without any gaps, so that everyone from older residents to children can share warmth with their neighbors and enjoy some ease in their lives."