Leaking Ulsan World Cup Stadium

Ulsan Munsu Stadium, the site of the 2002 World Cup will be under a repair. Munsu Football Stadium opened only about a month ago. But Ulsan city found a couple of defects such as leaky roof, and has launched an urgent repair.

``When it rained for two days from 21st(20mm of rainfall), the rain permeated into the connection parts of 64 suspension cables in the steel frames propping up the roofs over spectator seats.`` Ulsan city told yesterday, ``The repair will be completed by the end of this month.``

The raindrop kept falling from the roofs over 12-15 exits even in the morning of 23rd after the rain had stopped. And the space of 3.5m which has been made for ventilation between upper level of seats and roofs was filled with the water.

Ulsan city told that ``the repair-works adding the rubber pads and filling with silicon in the connection parts with suspension cables of the roof steel frames are in progress. But the repair-works are not going well, because it is impossible to block up the space of 3.5m between upper level of seats and the roof.``

An official said that Munsu stadium opened three months earlier than the original plan, and did not make a trial run before the opening.

Since opening on 28th of last month, Munsu stadium has heard a lot of complains of citizens. The danger for accidents of children is high, because its 2nd and 3rd levels of spectator seats were constructed with a steep slope of 30-34 degree. And a narrow space (75cm) between front and back seats also brought forth much complain.

Munsu Stadium is an exclusive football stadium which was constructed by the Hyundai Engineering and Construction in Ok-Dong, Nam-Gu, Ulsan, and is the first one among the 2002 World Cup sites.

Jeong Jae-Rak jrjung@donga.com