Lotte World Tower to hold 'sky run'

Lotte World Tower in southern Seoul

By Lee Hyo-sik

Lotte World Tower will organize an international vertical running competition next month, part of its public relations campaign to promote its status as the country's most famous landmark, Lotte Corp. said Sunday.

On April 23, the 555-meter skyscraper will host the 2017 Lotte World Tower International Sky Run, attracting keen attention from professional and amateur runners in Korea and elsewhere, according to the company, which oversees the construction and management of Korea's tallest structure.

The participants will have to climb up 2,917 stairs from the first floor to the 123rd where an observation deck is located.

Among professional athletes, the top three male and female runners will receive a total of $10,000 in prize money and trophies.

For amateurs, the first will be given Lotte gift certificates worth 1.23 million won ($1,070). The second will be awarded a one-night voucher at Lotte Tower's six-star hotel, Signiel, and the third to finish receives a 200,000 won prepaid card issued by Lotte Duty Free.

Lotte Corp. said anyone aged 18 to 65 can take part in the event, certificated by the International Skyrunning Federation. Those interested can apply through the Lotte World Tower website (www.lwt.co.kr/skyrun.do) from March 6 to 24. Only the first 1,000 people who sign up will be allowed to participate in the competition with a 30,000 won entry fee.

"We will donate entry fees to Child Fund Korea to support young sports prodigies from low-income families," Lotte Corp. CEO Park Hyun-cheol said. "We encourage people to take part in this unique event to test their limits and feel a sense of accomplishment."

The company, which received approval from the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Feb. 9 for the business use of Lotte World Tower, plans to open the structure to the public in early April.

Lotte Corp. is now trying to sell the tower's residential and office spaces.

On sale are 223 residential units located on the building's 42nd through 71st floors. The units span from 198 square meters to 990 square meters, with the price set at an average of 75 million won per 3.3 square meters.

The company is also selling seven private offices located on the 108th to 114th floors. The offices range from 743 to 1,027 square meters.

The 123-story tower has additional extensive office space on floors between the 14th and 38th. But instead of selling them, Lotte plans to lease the space to Korean and non-Korean companies seeking to locate to the building.

Lotte says the skyscraper, which will create as many as 20,000 new jobs, will become a global landmark attracting millions of foreign visitors annually from China, Japan and other countries.

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