Busan's Scenic Observatory Inaccessible Due to Delayed Monorail Construction

Busan's Cheonmasan Complex Observatory, lauded for its breathtaking panoramic views, is currently presenting a significant challenge to visitors due to the delayed completion of its essential tourist monorail. The observatory, situated atop Mount Cheonma (324 meters), offers vistas encompassing the Busan Port, Yeongdo, Songdo, the Busan Port Bridge, and even Japan's Tsushima Island on clear days.

However, reaching this scenic spot involves a strenuous 700-meter hike up a path with gradients exceeding 20 degrees. Visitors have described the arduous climb, especially in temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, as a significant deterrent. One visitor, who preferred to remain anonymous, complained, "I'm drenched in sweat from climbing the uphill path to the mountain summit. Cars can't even access the path. It's only accessible on foot, which is extremely inconvenient."

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I'm drenched in sweat from climbing the uphill path to the mountain summit. Cars can't even access the path. It's only accessible on foot, which is extremely inconvenient.

The Busan Seo-gu district initiated the complex observatory project in August 2019 as a new tourism hub to revitalize the old city center. The plan included a 3-kilometer tourist monorail connecting the entrance near Gamcheon Culture Village to the summit, intended for completion alongside the observatory in 2023. The observatory itself opened on June 9th of the current year.

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The monorail's construction, linking to the observatory, has been consecutively delayed due to a construction company's bankruptcy and the subsequent administrative termination and renegotiation of contracts.

The monorail's construction has been fraught with delays. Initial setbacks included disputes over resident compensation near the lower station site, followed by the necessity of rerouting the line due to steep, rocky terrain. Further complications arose from the discovery of artifacts from the Three Kingdoms to Unified Silla periods, requiring additional route adjustments. The situation was exacerbated by the construction company's financial difficulties, leading to a halt in work.

Consequently, Seo-gu terminated the contract with the original builder in June of the previous year and hired a new company to resume construction. These cumulative issues have ballooned the project's budget from an initial 19 billion won to 50 billion won. Currently, the monorail construction is at 50% completion. The district aims to finish installing the entire monorail line by the end of this year and officially open it in July of the following year.

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Because a section of the access road is narrow, vehicle access is restricted for safety reasons. We are considering measures to improve visitor accessibility and convenience.