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Incheon mayor Ahn Sang-soo, just back from a visit to North Korea, has agreed for Incheon and Pyongyang to co-host the 2014 Asian Games, and promised to support the North with equipment needed to build and repair Pyongyang¡¯s sports facilities, roads and hotels. But construction experts said Friday it would take a fortune to get North Korea¡¯s decrepit structures in shape.
A Unification Ministry official denied all knowledge of Ahn¡¯s agreement. Ahn only said the budgeting for the project would be discussed during working-level talks between the two Koreas.
Ahn reportedly vowed to finish construction of the Ryugyong Hotel in downtown Pyongyang, a famous structure 105 stories and 300 m tall -- but a skeleton unfinished for 13 years. An official said experts estimate the additional construction costs at US$500 million. Add the repair costs, and it would come out to US$1 billion, he said. Another official put it delicately when he said he understood there would be more mayors and governors announcing joint projects with North Korea ahead of local elections next year.
Incheon would host the 2014 Asian Games if Korea is selected as the host nation, but India, Jordan and Vietnam are other strong candidates, and the selection will not be made until 2006.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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