ULSAN, South Korea – A former waste site in Ulsan is undergoing a major environmental and recreational transformation. The city announced on the 15th that it has officially broken ground on a new Park Golf course at the Yeocheon landfill in Samsan-dong, Nam-gu, designed as a space where children, parents, and seniors can play together.
The project, which represents a 9.7 billion Korean won investment, aims to repurpose the long-dormant site into a high-quality sports facility by April next year.
The new development will feature three courses and 27 holes. To provide a challenge comparable to traditional golf, the city plans to incorporate:
Ulsan Mayor Kim Doo-gyeom expressed high ambitions for the project during the groundbreaking ceremony, stating:
"We will create the Yeocheon Park Golf course into a facility that is no less than a regular golf course."
The Yeocheon landfill has a long history as an industrial byproduct. Designated as a buffer green area for the national industrial complex in 1970, it served as a landfill from 1981 to 1994. Following its closure, the site underwent a stabilization period that lasted until 2009.
To prepare the ground for public use and the 2028 International Garden Expo, engineers recently added 1.5 meters of fresh soil. This critical step is designed to:
Seal Odors: Block any remaining smells from the decades-old waste.
Manage Leachate: Prevent the leakage of contaminated liquids into the surrounding environment.
Park Golf is a popular, simplified version of golf that originated in Japan. It uses a single club and a fist-sized plastic ball, making it more accessible and affordable for families and the elderly than traditional golf, while still requiring skill to navigate the greens and hazards.
By converting the landfill into a recreational hub, Ulsan City hopes to revitalize the Nam-gu district and provide a permanent green legacy following the 2028 Expo.
