On August 8, 39 people, including directors and reporters from television and newspaper media companies from all over Korea, visited the site of the Japan-Korea Tunnel Karatsu Investigation Diagonal. A group promoting the Japan-Korea Tunnel in South Korea requested the Foundation to conduct a site inspection in response to the growing interest in the tunnel, especially in Busan, and the media community joined forces to conduct a site visit. It was my first time to visit.
After hearing a welcome speech from our foundation's president, Hirofumi Sato, and the history of the Japan-Korea tunnel in Japan, we divided into two groups and immediately toured the site. There are three locations: the tip of the approximately 600m working tunnel, the 1400m winch that moves the trolley that carries out the excavated earth, and the observation deck overlooking Iki and the Genkai Sea.
While listening to the explanations for each, I heard comments such as ``The Japan-Korea tunnel plan that I have heard so far seems to be too biased toward Japan and the United States for pro-China people in South Korea'' and ``The Japan-Korea tunnel plan'' At one point, he said, "Only Japan will benefit, and Busan Port will suffer a loss."However, there was a serious attitude in trying to look at the situation calmly. He asked a number of specific questions, such as ``Why not use an immersed tunnel construction method instead of digging a tunnel with an excavating machine?'' which showed his deep interest.
Afterwards, the group moved to Tokyo and participated in a meeting with members of the Diet at the House of Representatives Building, where they received a lecture from the vice chairman of the Foundation's Japan-Korea Tunnel Engineering Committee about the Japan-Korea Tunnel from a technical perspective. A detailed explanation was given. I hope that by having more direct contact with Japan in the future, a progressive tone toward Japan-South Korea friendship will emerge from the media world, and that this will help Japan and South Korea truly become ``close and close countries.''
[Photo] Commemorative photo taken in front of the mine entrance
[Photo] Commentary in front of the winch (Hirofumi Sato, International Highway Foundation Chairman)
[Photo] Explanation at the face at the tip of the mine entrance (Yoshitaka Okubo, Karatsu site manager)
[Photo] Explanation at the observation deck
