S. Korea to build e-sports stadium by 2011

SEOUL, Sept. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, one of the world's most wired countries,
is to build a stadium designed for e-sports games such as Starcraft and Lineage
by 2011, the culture ministry said Wednesday.
As part of its new business plans, the culture ministry plans to build the
stadium, housing the International e-Sports Federation office, in Sangamdong,
western Seoul.
The ministry also plans to establish state-funded dance teams specializing in
contemporary dance and children's play.
The new plans will cost the ministry some 3.4 trillion (US$2.8 billion) won, an
increase of 7 percent from this year's budget.
"The increase of the budget shows the government's will to provide a better
cultural life to the people," Vice Culture Minister Kim Dae-ki said. "We will
focus mainly on balancing out the quality of cultural life among different
economic classes."
The new plans also include setting up a forensic system for more elaborate
copyright protection, building a youth hostel for cyclers near the country's four
major rivers and developing 10 new tourist programs.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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