Will Universiade Benefit Gwangju?
“How will Universiade benefit Gwangju?”
Interviewed and compiled by Ki Su-yeon, Kim Ji-heon, and Lee So-eun
– Lee Ki-chul (Male/28)
I think Universiade won’t benefit Gwangju in many ways. The reason is MERS. It is the biggest problem in South Korea now. Under the present conditions, I think that it will be difficult for Universiade to be successful.
+ David Akut Patrona (Male/39/teacher)
I definitely think that Universiade benefits Gwangju because it is an international competition and people from all over the world will come and participate. It will be good for introducing traditional Korean culture and a developed city, which gives people a chance to consider dwelling here in Korea like me. Because of all the people who will need a place to stay and eat, hotels are going to get a lot of benefit.
– Kim Mi-young (Female/34/High school teacher)
After the outbreak of MERS I’m not sure whether Universiade will benefit Gwangju. People all over the country are worried about the spread of MERS. Every day, news reports the increased number of infected people, careless hospitals and patients, and the irresponsible government. People from other countries also canceled their plans to visit Korea, including Chinese tourists. In this situation, how many people would want to visit Gwangju and watch the games in a crowded stadium? I guess not many people would.
Another thing I’m worried about is people will resent the Universiade games. These days, people are very sensitive to any actions that might promote the spreading of MERS. Because of the concerns, many major and minor events have already been canceled. If people know that many athletes are from the Middle East and are coming to Gwangju to participate in the games, Universiade will face a strong opposition.
I know tremendous effort, time, and resources were put into the Universiade games. As a citizen of Gwangju, I’m eager to see it succeed. But without any improvement in the health situation, it will be difficult to attract people to Universiade. I really hope this situation will be settled as soon as possible.
+ Kim Ji-eun (Female/21)
I’m sure that Summer Universiade will benefit Gwangju and its citizens. Universiade is an international event, so Gwangju’s economy will grow. The most important thing is that many citizens including students will have a great opportunity to enjoy the games.
+ Kim Seong-sik (Male/23/University student)
I think Universiade will benefit Gwangju. It will increase international interaction and international fellowship. It will have a lasting impression on Korean students, which will make them go out and explore the world, not just stay in Korea. Also, it would relieve stress and pressure especially for students.
+ Min Hyeon-ju (Female/35/Violinist)
Some people say that because of Universiade and other factors, the price of apartment buildings and other real estate has increased a lot. I don’t believe Universiade has increased the price. But many people around me partly believe the rumor and don’t like it. Some of them are married and others are not, but most of them cannot afford to buy an apartment due to high prices. Even though the rate of interest is quite low, still it’s difficult to buy one. Recently, one of my friends bought an apartment with a mortgage of one hundred million won on her house. Now, she and her husband have to pay three million won per month for at least three years. I don’t know whether Universiade played a role in the increase of real estate prices. But I can’t buy my own house yet, so I hope the price could be settled down before it goes too far.