Korean GP,The most important thing for the F1 Korea is the track

Korean GP leaves issues to be resolved

Foreign journalists watch the screens in the press center at the Korean International Circuit in Yeongnam, South Jeolla Province, Sunday while the Korean Grand Prix takes place. Inset: BBC reporter Holly Samos looks at a screen in the press center. / Korea Times photo by Yoon Chul By Yoon Chul The recently concluded Formula One Korean Grand Prix has left Korea with many issues to resolve as it is poised to hold the event for the next six years. F1 is one of the biggest global sports events along with the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup but it has thus far remained relatively unfamiliar with the people though the nation hosted the other two sport events. Many veteran foreign journalists who covered the event in Yeongam, South Jeolla Province, gave relatively high marks to the race and circuit, using terms such as exciting and fantastic. They reckoned the challenging circuit as the main strength of the Korean GP. “The track is praised by drivers,” Speedweek magazine journalist Mathias Brunner told The Korea Times. “The spectators seem much excited.” BBC reporter Holly Samos agreed with Brunner’s opinion. “The most important thing for the F1 Korea is the track, which the drivers loved. As it is really challenging they are very impressed.” Mathias also noted that Koreans seemed more passionate than expected compared with the spectators for the Shanghai Grand Prix. “I can make comparison between the Korean GP and Shanghai one. They have a little bit similar location. It is outside of the town with a proper circuit. But there is one major difference. For one thing, when we came to Shanghai no one knew there is a race,” Mathias said. “Mokpo is smaller than Shanghai. Nevertheless, the two have been doing so many things,” added Mathias. The foreign reporters also praised Koreans’ kindness. But they cited some problems, which should be improved including accommodation, in particular, with regard to cleanliness and price. “The accommodation is a little bit strange. Many rooms at those motels are overpriced. Many of them were not clean, and less convenient,” Mathias said. The Korea Auto Valley Operation had to prepare accommodation for more than 90,000 spectators in such a small city. Due to that reason the Korean GP organizing committee rented motels and had many problems in checking their cleanliness and ensuring they have the appropriate facilities. Regarding traffic, the reporters came away with mixed reactions. Mathias and freelance reporter Agnes Carlier said as the Korean GP was the first one it is understandable to see inconveniences due to traffic. But Samos of the BBC was critical saying, “The traffic needs to improve rapidly. They can learn a lot from other Grand Prix in the world, how they organize the traffic, so that the fans can have easier access.” The organizing committee planned to make two gates for entrances and exits. But as time was running out, there was only one for the inaugural event. As a lot of police and volunteers were mobilized for traffic control, they didn’t prepare an appropriate system. For instance even if a car was parked near the main entrance, drivers needed to go a long way round in order to exit. Many of the free shuttle buses failed to move the fans anywhere near the times they promised. After the race on Sunday, the media shuttle bus moved just 20 meters in an hour. Other reporters also cited the problem of communication. As Korea’s first language is not English, locals and many of the volunteers cannot speak English perfectly. Well aware of this, the reporters were not overly critical of this. They hoped to see an improvement in the language problem as it is an international event and many foreign fans will head to Korea. They also hope to see facilities to accommodate domestic and foreign fans as well as staff members and journalists. The KAVO and F1 organizing committee vowed to be better equipped with more facilities for the future F1 events. “Another main entrance will open next year,” chief of the traffic system for the organizing committee Suh Sang-sun told The Korea Times. “We will also construct a wider road to reach the venue and it will ease traffic congestion. “After we study the problem, we will improve more and more,” he said. Regarding steps for accommodation, Park also said, “Frankly speaking, it is hard to build a big hotel by next year, but some hotels are under construction,” he said. “We are going to improve the facilities of many motels to provide more convenience for visitors. We also have a plan to lower the price of accommodation,” added Park. Though the F1 Korean GP finished on Sunday, the staffers are busy to prepare for a better event in Yeongam next year. However, it will take many years until the race comes up with full-fledged preparations. Kim Jae-ho, general manager of marketing for KAVO, said that their ultimate goal toward a perfect event could be materialized about 20 years later. “We hope to maintain the F1 Grand Prix for a long time as the British GP has done,” Kim said. 한국 F1 풀어야 할 문제 많아 이번 주 막을 내린 F1 코리아 그랑프리는 향후 6년간 치뤄질 대회에 있어 많은 숙제를 한국에 남겼다. F1은 한국이 개최했던 올림픽 및 월드컵과 더불어 규모가 가장 큰 세계 스포츠 대회에 속하지만, 상대적으로 인지도가 미비했다. 대회 취재경력이 많은 상당수 외국 기자들은 영암 서킷에 대해 흥미진진하며 환상적이라고 호평했다. 이들은 도전이 요구되는 서킷이야말로 코리아 그랑프리의 주요 강점이라고 말했다. 매티아스 브루너 스피드위크지 기자는 코리아타임스와의 인터뷰에서 “참가 선수들이 트랙에 대해 찬사를 보냈다.”고 했다. 또한 “관중들이 흥에 들떠 있어 보였다.”고 언급했다. 홀리 사모스 영국 BBC 기자도 브루너의 의견에 “코리아 그랑프리 중 가장 중요한 점은 바로 선수들을 매료시킨 서킷”이라고 하며 “도전을 필요로 하기에 선수들 개인에게 각인될 수 있었다.”고 평가했다. 외국 기자들은 한편 위생 개선과 가격 경쟁력 재고가 필요한 숙박시설을 포함한 몇 가지 문제에 대해 지적했다. 매티아스는 “많은 모텔이 값을 올려받았을 뿐 아니라 비위생적이고 불편했던 점에서 생소했다.”고 밝혔다. 대회 운영법인인 KAVO는 소도시인 영암에 9만 명 이상의 관중을 수용하기 위해 모텔예약을 서둘렀고 이 과정에서 위생 및 숙박 적합여부를 점검하는데 있어 많은 문제가 발생했다. 외국 기자들은 대회기간 중 교통시설에 대해서는 엇갈린 반응을 내놨다. 매티아스와 프리랜서인 아그니스 칼리에가 한국이 치루는 첫 국제 자동차 경주대회이기에 불편했던 부분을 이해할 수 있다고 했다. 반면 사모스는 “팬들의 편의를 위해서라도 타 대회운영방식을 배우는 등 시급한 교통시설 개선이 필요하다”며 부정적 의견을 내비췄다. 대규모 경찰병력 및 자원봉사자들이 통제에 나섰지만, 미흡한 운영으로 불편을 초래했다. 다른 기자들은 언어소통 문제점에 대해서도 언급했다. 한국이 비영어권 국가임을 숙지하고 있었기에 혹평을 하지는 않았지만, 국제대회임을 감안하고 외국 팬 방문을 고려하여 향후 개선을 주문했다. yc@koreatimes.co.kr