Rites of Spring

Kangwon Land offers spring cuisine made with fresh mountain plants

Kangwon Land Inc. opened for business in 2000 under a special law designed to restore economic advantages to designated areas in Gangwon Province due to the closure of coal mines. The public entity has been working steadily to vitalize the economy in the region, especially in the areas of social welfare, and the promotion of culture and art with the intention to develop the mining region.
First, Kangwon Land Welfare Foundation has provided some 13.6 billion won from the 27 billion won allocated by the resort complex to return part of its profit to society. The foundation provided funds to various projects to help the region's economy, especially those poor people in the names of such programs as the Dream Tree Scholarship, Youth Cultural Assistance, and the Nest For Love. This year, too, the foundation is ready to dish out some 13 billion won to help out the economy in the depressed region due to the closure of coal mines.
Second, Kangwon Land has provided 5.49 billion won saved from complimentary services to customers such as lodging and beverage expenses to four counties in the region from 2004.
Third, the resort complex provided 150 million won last year alone to help local restaurants with poor conditions to improve their operations by upgrading their cooking, the quality of food and service and part of their education and installations. Some 51 poorly operated dining facilities in the four counties benefited from the support. Employees at the resort often dined at the local restaurants in an effort to uphold the idea that went into the establishment of the resort complex in the region under the Vitalization of the Using Small Eatery Joints Campaign, which kicked off in September, 2004 and culminated at the end of last year. They frequented those eateries 392 times paying 109 million won for meals during the period.
Fourth, to help sales stand operators in the traditional markets in the four regions, the resort complex purchased 4.2 billion won worth of foods items from those markets in the four depressed counties for its hotels, accounting for 51 percent of 8 billion won spent annually for food items served at the hotels in the resort. Kangwon Land spent more than 38 percent of its revenue amounting to 922.4 billion won in local and national taxes, and to the Tourism Promotion Fund, and the Fund for Development of Mine Closure Region. The resort's payroll list includes 4,000 employees with 64 percent local residents to show the depth of the resort's help to the regional economy. Kangwon Land is determined to help the local economy hit by the closure of coal mines to recover on sustainable basis.

Gambling Addiction Counseling:
In the meantime, Kangwon Land launched a consultation service for its long-term customers to minimize adverse effects from perennial gambling starting February 1. This move is part of the decision made at the end of last year to strengthen the role of the resort's Gambling Addiction Center. The resort has decided on a mandatory counseling service for an hour to customers who frequent the resort's casino for 20 consecutive days in a two-month period. The resort will notify the families of customers who come to the place for 20 consecutive days in a three-month period and more than 90 percent of a four-month period or 72 days after counseling. For those customers who come to the resort more than 80 percent of a six month period or 96 days and their potential to become gambling addicts, the resort will prepare measures for them to treat their gambling addiction.
Kangwon Land has been trying to create a sound casino culture by restricting games on credit and contract games and limiting the number of days to come to the casino for 15 days for member customers, 20 days for general customers and only a day for local residents.

Special Cuisine for Spring:
Starting March 1, Kangwon Land has been offering a special menu for spring dishes made with fresh edible plants picked deep in mountains. Until April 30, world fusion dishes will be offered and until May 31, room service for those dishes will be available. During these periods, customers will be able to enjoy spring dishes and feel the fresh air of spring directly at the resort. nw

A view of a new golf course to be opened April 1 at Kangwon Land.