Details emerging on CART
race in Seoul, South Korea
by Mark Cipolloni
October 19, 2003
The CART track will
be built in Hangang Park, Seoul, South Korea
In an AutoRacing1.com exclusive from our sources in Seoul, South
Korea, we have learned that CART's first race in Seoul, South Korea
will be in the Nanji District in Hangang Park on Oct. 15 to 17 in
2004. The race will be the weekend prior to CART's race in
Surfers Paradise on October 22 to 24 in 2004 so transportation costs
can be partially shared between the two events.
We have been following this story for months now and expected an
announcement. That announcement came today in Seoul by the City
of Seoul. The race will be promoted by KMC (Korea
Motorsports Center). Contracts are for five years, through 2008, and
the race circuit will be on a temporary street course built in the
park. We expect an announcement from CART this week, possibly
Thursday from Surfers.
Hangang
Park is #3 on this map. The World Cup Soccer Stadium is off to
the right
Just like the Montreal race, the circuit is very close to Hangang (Han
river, the river that goes through the heart of Seoul) and the
Worldcup stadium. And just like Montreal, there is a
Metro/Subway stop nearby.
Weather-wise, if this week is any indication, expect high temperatures
in the mid-60's for the race with nighttime temperatures falling into
the 40's. Seoul has a continental climate with four distinct
seasons, including hot, humid summers and cold, relatively dry
winters. Average high temperatures are 33 degrees F in January and 83
degrees F in
July. Seoul receives an average annual precipitation of 54 inches,
of which 70 percent usually falls between July and September.
General Information on Hangang Park
Location
Gayangdaegyo (bridge) Northern end (Nanjicheon) ⇔ Seongsandaegyo
(bridge) Northern end (Hongjecheon)
Size of Park
776,870 Sq. Meters = 192 Acres
Main Facilities
Camping Area, Traditional Archery Range, Dock for Pleasure Boats,
Water Skiing, Boat Driver's License Examination Center, Cycling course
(8.2 miles)
Subway
World Cup Stadium Station (Line 6, Exit 2)
About Seoul
Seoul, South Korea is
on the western shores, not too far south from the DMZ with North Korea
It is the largest city and chief commercial, manufacturing,
administrative, and cultural center of South Korea. The word Seoul is
a Korean term meaning capital city. Originally known as Hansŏng, Seoul
was renamed Kyŏngsŏng in 1911. The city has officially been called
Seoul since 1945, when Korea, then a single country, was liberated
from 35 years of Japanese colonial rule.
Seoul covers an area of 234 sq mi, extending 23 mi east to west and 30
19 mi north to south. The city is surrounded by mountains, the highest
of which is Pukhan-san Mountain, 2,743 ft above sea level.
Seoul is divided by the Han River, which flows from east to west
toward the Yellow Sea. The city consists administratively of 22 gu
(wards), which are subdivided into 526 dong (precincts). Business and
commercial centers are located in the downtown area and, increasingly,
in the area south of the Han River.
Factories are concentrated in the western part of the city, especially
the district of Yŏngdŭnpo. Poorer residential areas are mostly in the
eastern part of the city. The north side of the city is mountainous
and has many parks, as well as the presidential palace known as
Chŏingwa dae (Blue House). The two largest outdoor markets are located
near the South Gate (Namdaemun) and East Gate (Dongdaemun).
Myŏngdong, sometimes called the “Ginza” of Seoul after the
high-fashion district of Tokyo, is the center of women's fashion and
shopping in downtown Seoul and also the site of South Korea's largest
Roman Catholic cathedral. From the 1960s through the mid-1990s the
area south of the Han River (known as Kangnam or“South of the River”
in Korean) saw a boom in the construction of shopping malls and
apartments for the upper-middle class.
AutoRacing1 is an independent internet online publication and is not
affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by CART Inc.,
NASCAR, FIA, FedEx, Winston, or any other
series sponsor. This material may not be published, broadcast,
or redistributed without permission. User
agreement & disclaimer
