Hwaseong to Begin Resident Review of Universal Studio Korea Resort Development Plan

The Universal Studio Korea Resort (USKR), a world-class theme park currently under development in Sinhoe-dong, Hwaseong, is expected to break ground as early as the end of this year.

Hwaseong announced on the 10th that "the city received an application for 'Universal Studio Korea Resort Theme Park Designation and Development Plan Approval' from Universal Studio Korea Resort Development Co., Ltd. on the 8th," and stated that "the city will comply with administrative procedures including legal review and departmental consultation, resident review, urban management planning in July, and plans to submit an application for theme park designation and development plan approval to Gyeonggi Province in August."

A city official also stated that "we will finalize the agreement in July, execute a land contract in September, and receive approval for the USKR development plan by the end of this year, so construction will commence as early as the end of this year or at the latest in early next year."

The submitted Hwaseong Universal Studio theme park will be built on a site of 1.27 million pyeong in Sinhoe-dong, Hwaseong, and is planned as an international theme park of the highest standard in Northeast Asia.

The theme park will be a comprehensive tourist complex featuring cutting-edge theme parks themed around films such as Harry Potter, Shrek, and Spider-Man, as well as a water park, golf course, icon hotel, condominiums, CityWalk, and a shopping complex, with a total investment scale of 5 trillion won.

A city official stated that "we will spare no effort in administrative support, including expedited permit procedures and timely construction of infrastructure for the opening of USKR in 2016," and said "with the development of the Hwaseong Universal Studio theme park, it will become South Korea's leading tourist attraction drawing over 15 million visitors annually.