New Boulevard Named after Park Ji-sung

"It`s a good opportunity to renew my resolution to play hard so that the new memorial and boulevard named after me will become more meaningful to all the fans."

In dark gray suit sans a tie, Park Ji-sung, the first Korean soccer player in history to play in the Premiere League in England, participated in the opening ceremony of the boulevard and memorial inside the World Cup Museum in the Suwon World Cup Stadium located in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. Far from retirement as a player, he obviously felt the responsibility of the ceremony.

He expressed his strong resolution, saying that he will do his best to bring happiness to the fans.

Park donated the shoes he wore in the second game of the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) champion league semifinal against AC Milan, the match at which he scored a goal, and the uniform he wore in the charity game for tsunami victims, held in February. The “Park Ji-sung Memorial Corner” exhibits 20 items of Park which he used throughout his career from elementary school to the Korean national soccer team.

The Suwon World Cup Stadium Management Foundation plans to add more of Park`s items, including his Manchester United uniform, to motivate young soccer players.

Park, born in Seoul, spent most of his early years in Suwon, attending Sannam Elementary School and Seryu Elementary School in Suwon, Anyong Middle School in Hwaseong, and Suwon Engineering High School, where he played soccer.

The celebration memorial was created when Park Sung-jong, Park Ji-sung`s father, expressed his intention to donate the uniform his son used in the charity game, and Park Jong-hee, the chairman of the foundation asked him to donate more items to encourage young players.

Park Ji-sung Boulevard, a 35 meter-wide, six-lane road extending 1.38 km, starts from Bethlehem Church in Hwaseong and leads to Yeongtong Boulevard in Suwon. On Park Ji-sung Boulevard, there are a large-size picture of Park in the World Cup and six signs of the boulevard.

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com