April 25, 2000 - Letter of Intent

Respectable citizens and reporters, thank you for joining us here today.

When I first assumed the office of mayor in July 1998, I promised to develop a futuristic town that could lead the future of Seoul in Sangam-dong where the World Cup Stadium was being constructed. Based on the one and half years of research carried out by Korean and foreign experts, I’d like to elucidate the details of the development plan today. As you know, the 6.6㎢(1,586 acres) of land in Sangam-dong is one of the last undeveloped areas on such a large scale remaining in Seoul.

It’s a strategic place that offers easy access to the world at large through the Yeongjong-do New Airport Highway, subway line #6 and Gyeongeui Railroad. And the eyes of people all over the world will be focused on this area during the 2002 World Cup.In this area, I plan to build a futuristic ‘New Millennium City’ that integrates and embodies ‘information’ and ‘environment’ - the two hot topics of the new millennium.

This new city will be formed into an ‘ecological town’ where people and nature coexist, ‘a town of information technology’ that will host high-tech digital media companies and the ‘gateway town’ of Seoul that opens to Asia and all regions of the world. Prominent Korean and foreign businesses in the fields of software and multimedia will locate in Millennium City.

Along with the ‘Media Production Center’ that interfaces with the Yeouido broadcasting district, Internet digital broadcasting companies and other next generation media industries will be housed at the central business district outfitted with a high-speed fiber-optic communication network.

A science museum that nurtures scientific minds and a digital media-training center that educates professional manpower will also set up here.At the outer perimeters of Millennium City, an environmentally friendly housing complex is currently being built for both Korean and foreign residents. The complex will employ recycling and energy-effective systems such as water recycling and heating facilities that uses the accumulated gas from the landfill.

As for transportation in the complex, it will be formed with non-pollutant ‘Green Network’ methods like bicycles and other new traffic systems. In addition, the Nanjido landfill, which takes up about half of the southern area of the new town, and the Nanji Stream and watersides of the Han River will be reborn as large environmental parks to serve as a leisure space for the residents of Millennium City.

Many foreign countries are competing in the era of information and environment. For example, the Science Complex in Singapore, Multimedia Super Corridor in Malaysia, Hshinchu Science-based Industrial Park in Taiwan and the Millennium Town in London are exemplary cases. The development purpose of our Millennium City has similar principles. However, many foreign experts agree that the Millennium City has the potential to surpass those newly developed cities overseas.

Unlike most other case cities, the Millennium City integrates two themes - information and environment - and embodies them both in one place. Moreover, the unique geopolitical location, the existence of Nanjido landfill that will prove to be an epoch-making case of environmental recycling, and the world-wide marketing potential through the World Cup will further increase the growth potential of Millennium City.

Unlike previous construction projects for apartment complexes, it will take a long time to complete the Millennium City Project since it will be developed into a futuristic town that integrates various merits of futuristic society. But the undertaking shouldn’t be put off.

I personally promise to complete the Millennium Park project before the 2002 World Cup, and also the land development for an environmentally friendly housing complex. As for the Hi-Tech Business Area, we will commence the land development work at the same time as we complete the process of selecting core businesses and foreign investors.

In June 2002, the eyes of the world will be centered on the Sangam region where the World Cup is to be held. At that time, they will not only see the biggest stadium in Asia, but also the 10 million Seoul citizen’s grand vision and determination to make continual developments by combining environmental recycling and high-tech industries.

And through this, they will compare Seoul with the cities of Japan, which is the co-host nation of the World Cup. Developing the Millennium City is a project of grand magnitude that will lead Seoul and Korea to the future. I earnestly ask for your unwavering interest and encouragement in making smooth progress in this project.

Thank you.

Goh Kun,
the 31st Mayor of Seoul Metropolitan Government