Nude beach in korea?

Gangwon-do Province wants to open the country’s first nudist beach by 2017, which it believes will be a tourist magnet.

It bears further watching whether the idea becomes a reality. The province already failed in its efforts to open a clothing-optional beach in 2005 due to a public outcry and Jeju Island went through the same debacle in 2009.

Gangwon has yet to decide on how it will determine the location of the nudist beach, although it will likely require some form of bidding. For now, the beach is expected to open in 2017 after installing facilities to prevent trespassing.

''As vacation cultures diversify, the interest in conventional beaches is decreasing. We believe a nudist beach could spark interest. This is part of our plans to create beaches with specific purpose, like a beach for families, a beach for couples, a beach for pets, and yes, a nude beach,’’ said an official from the municipality’s Pan-East Sea Division, which unveiled the plans for the beach in a seminar Tuesday.

''Of course, we don’t have a detailed plan yet. We will proceed with the project carefully and in consideration of public sentiment.’’

According to the regional government, about 25.67 million travelers visited Gangwon beaches this summer, up by 30 percent from last year’s numbers. A province struggling with debt and the lack of job-creating industries, Gangwon is desperate to milk its tourist sector.

Officials admit that the local resistance against a nudist beach continues to be strong. Their solution? Try it on foreigners first as they would probably be happier to strip off.

''We are considering a trial operation of the nude beach for foreign travelers only, before widening access to Koreans,’’ said the official.