World's largest Legoland to open in S. Korea in 2017

CHUNCHEON, South Korea, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- The world's largest Lego-themed amusement park will be built in South Korea's eastern lake city of Chuncheon by 2017, becoming the first such facility in East Asia, the provincial government said Thursday.

The world's seventh Legoland will be built on an lake island within Chuncheon, 85 kilometers east of Seoul, and will include a hotel, a water park, shopping malls and Lego attractions.

When completed, the park spanning 1.3 million square meters will be more than double the size of the Legoland in England, which is currently the world's biggest.

British-based Merlin Entertainment Group Ltd, the operator of Legoland, will invest 100 billion won (US$90 million), while the remaining 400 billion won will be provided by LL Development, a special-purpose corporation for Legoland Korea.

Gangwon Province, which governs Chuncheon, said it signed an agreement with Legoland Korea to exempt corporate taxes for five years with a 50 percent discount for another two years. It also provided the land site for free for 50 years, hoping to draw visitors and create new jobs to boost the local economy.

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held on Friday.

ejkim@yna.co.kr
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