Seoul is to get its own version of cartoon theme park Disneyland, possibly occupying the prime site that is now Seoul Grand Park.

Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak said Monday negotiations to bring the amusement park to Korea “are moving ahead very well” and ground could be broken in one year's time. That confirms rumors that the city is in negotiations with Disney to set up a theme park here.

The mayor was cagey about what form it will take, saying this “was discussed privately by the parties concerned." Shanghai, which is also in negotiations to get a Disney park, “is different in scope and in content, and we have made a lot of progress," Lee said.

Walt Disney Co. looked into three or four possible locations in Korea for the park since 2003 and at the end of 2004 decided on Seoul Grand Park. It is studying the feasibility of the project with the help of the city government. Seoul Grand Park officials have been looking for a new location since last year, eyeing sites in the Seoul/Gyeonggi Province area.

“It’s the mayor's hope that the number of annual visitors to the city will increase from 6 million to 10 million with the arrival of a world-class theme park,” a Seoul City insider said.

(englishnews@chosun.com )