Disney Positive on Opening Theme Park in Seoul
By Kang Shin-who
Korea Times Correspondent
ANAHEIM _ Disneyland is considering establishing a theme park in Korea.
Tsutomu Fukuda, vice president of the Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific division, told The Korea Times that the company is focusing on Korea for its new theme park in Asia on the sidelines of ``International Pow Wow'' held at the Anaheim Convention Center.
The event was organized by Travel Industry Association.
``We have focused on Japan and Australia in the Asia-Pacific for a Disney park. And now we have decided to focus also on Korea,’’ Fukuda said.
``But we have not decided how we will promote our destination yet. Actually I am surprised that you knew our plan for Korea because we only recently made that decision,’’ he added.
Seoul Metropolitan City is attempting to attract a Disneyland park to the city.
According to local daily, Walt Disney will pick Shanghai for its new park instead of Seoul.
However, Fukuda denied the rumor saying his company has not made an official announcement on the issue.
``I have read those stories in newspapers but I have never heard internally about that. We will be going to Korea in May and you will definitely know about our plan,’’ he said. ``Actually it is a little early to speak about detailed plans now.’’
On the visa waiver between Korea and the U.S., the vice president noted that Disney expects more Korean tourists to visit Disneyland in the United States without negatively affecting attendance at other parks in Asia.
``I don’t think the visa waiver would divert Korean tourists from Tokyo to the U.S. For example, Japanese who have been in Disneyland in the country also want to experience other theme parks in Hong Kong and even Paris now,’’ Fukuda said. ``Once they go to one of the Disneyland parks, they might want to visit other parks as well.’’
Also, Disneyland is considering offering Korean language service in U.S. parks because of the increase in the number of Korean tourists.
Established in Anaheim, California in 1955, Disneyland opened its theme parks in Orlando, Florida in 1971, in Japan in 1983, followed by France in 1992 and Hong Kong in 2005.