'Seoraksan Osaek Cable Car' Finally Breaks Ground "41-Year Long-Awaited Wish Fulfilled"

Groundbreaking Ceremony on the 20th in Osaek-ri, Seomyeon, Yangyang
Over 300 Attendees Including Prime Minister Han Deok-su
Environmental Groups Hold Protest Rally Urging 'Project Cancellation'

The Osaek Cable Car in Seoraksan, a "long-cherished project" of Gangwon Province, has finally broken ground after 41 years. Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province and Yangyang County held a groundbreaking ceremony around 2 p.m. on the 20th at the lower station of the Osaek Cable Car in Osaek-ri, Seomyeon. About 300 people attended, including Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, National Assembly member Lee Yang-su, Governor Kim Jin-tae, and various mayors and county heads.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The event proceeded in order with a pre-ceremony performance by the provincial dance troupe, the national anthem, progress report, video screening, commemorative speeches, congratulatory speeches, groundbreaking performance, and cable car report. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said, "This project, which has been promoted since the 1980s, has faced many conflicts, but we have united to resolve the issues that have continued for nearly 40 years and have now started construction." He added, "Since concerns about environmental damage still remain, Gangwon Province and Yangyang County must faithfully implement the promised environmental measures."

The Gangwon Osaek Cable Car project involves installing a cable car in Seoraksan National Park. The operation section is 3.3 km from Osaek to the lower part of Kkeutcheong. Fifty-three 8-person gondolas will operate one-way for 14 minutes and 28 seconds, transporting 825 people per hour. Since the initial plan was established in 1982, the project had not progressed due to strong opposition from environmental groups, but it gained momentum in 2015 when selected as a pilot project for inland national park cable car installation. However, after going through environmental impact assessments and administrative trials, the project finally broke ground after 41 years. Still, processes such as selecting a construction company remain, so actual construction is expected to begin around March next year. Completion is scheduled for the end of 2025, with operation starting in 2026.

Environmental groups still oppose the project. On the day of the ceremony, groups such as the Citizens' Action to Protect Seoraksan National Park held a protest rally near the groundbreaking site, urging cancellation of the project. They stated, "Installing the Seoraksan cable car will bring economic disaster to the residents of Yangyang County and the people of Gangwon Province," and added, "We cannot allow the cable car project, which destroys the environment and economy and fuels social conflict, to proceed. We will take strong actions such as filing lawsuits to cancel the project permit."