Gyeongju to build Korea’s first public polo park

South Korea’s first polo-themed public tourism complex will be built in Gyeongju, officials said Thursday.

North Gyeongsang Province and the Gyeongju municipal government signed a memorandum of understanding with a Korean private developer, Luvlu, at the provincial government complex to jointly advance the “Korea Polo Park Tourism Complex," according to the province.

Under the agreement, the province and city will provide administrative support, including permitting and approvals, while Luvlu will invest 320 billion won ($ 218 million) in private capital and create about 300 new jobs to spur the local economy. Luvlu is a development arm of Seongho Group, a Gyeongju-based company with annual sales of 850 billion won.

The complex will span about 2.13 million square meters across the Dogye, Seo-o and Cheonchon villages in Seomyeon.

Planned facilities include Korea’s first publicly accessible polo stadium and park, an 18-hole golf course, eco-friendly leisure attractions such as a monorail and zipline, and accommodations including a sports hotel and condominiums.

Construction will proceed in phases through 2030.

Polo, played in more than 80 countries worldwide, has been difficult to access domestically, limited largely to a small membership club on Jeju Island.

Provincial and city officials said the new complex aims to popularize the sport, attract domestic and overseas visitors, and host international tournaments and VIP events.

Officials also expect strong demand given Gyeongju’s access within two hours by high-speed rail from the Seoul metropolitan area and within an hour from Daegu and the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region.

Governor Lee Cheol-woo said the project would be “a turning point that expands the landscape of tourism in North Gyeongsang Province,” pledging regulatory reforms and administrative support to ensure smooth private investment.