Billions Spent Yet Internal Facilities Severely Lacking
Operating Hours Limited to Daytime... Chronic Deficit Struggles
City Plans Renovation Early Next Year... Criticized for 'Delayed Response'
Gwangju City is facing public neglect of the public indoor swimming pool built inside the Municipal Mudeung Gymnasium, which was constructed with tens of billions of won in national and local budgets for residents' health and welfare.
The internal facilities are cramped, and the operating hours?from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.?make it impossible for typical office workers to use the pool, resulting in numerous complaints and chronic deficits. Although the city plans to invest additional funds to expand the facilities, it is being criticized for its delayed response.
According to Gwangju City and Gwangju Urban Corporation on the 2nd, the Mudeung Gymnasium was completed in June last year with a total project cost of 48.9 billion won (35.9 billion won from the city and 13.7 billion won from the national government). The swimming pool facility inside the gymnasium cost 7.6 billion won, featuring five lanes each 25 meters long, and opened on November 1 of the same year.
The swimming pool is operated by Gwangju Urban Corporation under delegation from the city, with a total of 10 staff members including Urban Corporation employees, safety personnel, and contracted workers.
The problem lies in the lack of internal auxiliary facilities and the operating system that only allows daytime use. There are only 26 shower stalls (13 each for men and women) and 84 changing rooms (30 for men and 54 for women).
A pool member, Mr. A, said, “Even though the number of users is not high, there are insufficient shower facilities and locker rooms,” adding, “It seems the facility was built without considering the capacity despite the large budget invested.”
Mr. B said, “I used to go to another swimming pool for a long time, but since I live in Unam-dong, Buk-gu, I moved here,” and added, “The pool is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday, but as a worker, I can’t even visit the pool on weekdays.”
Indoor view of the swimming pool at Gwangju Municipal Mudeung Gymnasium, which opened on November 1 last year with five lanes each 25 meters long. Provided by Gwangju Urban Corporation.
A swimming pool official said, “Based on a two-hour usage standard, the swimming pool facility can accommodate up to 100 people,” but added, “However, due to the lack of auxiliary facilities, it is difficult to handle many users.” He further explained, “While facility expansion is necessary, to operate classes early in the morning or late at night, more staff would be needed, but even with the current staff, it is difficult to cover labor costs.”
Moreover, most members are elderly or national merit recipients who receive discounts, which contributes to the deficit operation.
According to the swimming pool’s compiled data, from the beginning of this year until October, the total number of users was about 44,000, with approximately 19,000 monthly and annual members. Among these members, over half?10,000 people?are seniors aged 65 or older, national merit recipients, women of childbearing age, or youth, receiving discounts of up to 50%. The cumulative discount amount until October reached about 70 million won.
The operator, Gwangju Urban Corporation, projected an annual deficit of 350 million won based on its own financial analysis.
In this regard, Gwangju City stated that when the initial design service began, it estimated an average daily usage of about 140 people and an annual usage of approximately 33,600 people, which was the basis for installing the facilities. Considering that the number of users reached about 44,000 by October this year, it is difficult for Gwangju City to avoid criticism that it failed to conduct a proper demand survey from the start.
A city official said, “We plan to allocate a budget for repairs and renovations reflecting the complaints raised so far,” adding, “Once the budget is finalized, detailed design will begin in January next year, and construction is expected to start between February and March.”
However, the public’s reaction remains cold. Citizen Park said, “I worry that focusing only on facility expansion without fundamental solutions will just waste taxpayers’ money again,” and raised his voice, “This would not have happened if it had been properly built from the beginning.”
Meanwhile, the Mudeung Gymnasium experienced leaks and condensation problems due to poor construction in September, causing inconvenience to users.
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