"Let's Make Sajik a Dome"... Congresswoman Ji-Young Seo Proposes New Solution for Sajik Baseball Stadium Redevelopment

A New Chapter in Busan's Baseball Stadium Debate


"Instead of Building Anew, Cover Sajik Stadium With a Dome"

Sajik or Bukhang? A new proposal has emerged in the ongoing debate over the location of Busan’s next landmark baseball stadium. Congresswoman Ji-Young Seo has suggested converting the existing Sajik Baseball Stadium redevelopment plan into a retractable dome stadium.

Ji-Young Seo, a People Power Party lawmaker representing Dongnae District in Busan, posted on her Facebook page on September 21 with the message “Let’s turn Sajik Baseball Stadium, the symbol of baseball in Busan, into a dome stadium.”

Seo’s proposal is straightforward: Rather than building a new dome stadium in Bukhang while leaving Sajik Baseball Stadium as is, she proposes changing the current Sajik Stadium redevelopment plan into a retractable dome stadium.

Seo argued, “Busan, as a city of baseball, needs a dome stadium,” and suggested, “Let’s make Sajik Baseball Stadium a dome stadium.”

Currently, discussions in Busan are ongoing about whether to redevelop Sajik Baseball Stadium or to construct a retractable dome stadium in Bukhang. The planned Sajik Baseball Stadium redevelopment is a 292.4 billion won project, including 29.9 billion won in national funding. In contrast, the Bukhang dome stadium is being discussed as a large-scale project costing well over 1 trillion won.

Seo pointed out that Busan City had previously considered building a dome stadium during the Sajik Baseball Stadium redevelopment process. At that time, due to cost concerns, the city opted for an open-air stadium costing about 300 billion won instead of a dome stadium, which would have required around 1 trillion won.

However, Seo argues that since Busan City is now considering the much larger and more expensive Bukhang dome stadium, it would be reasonable to reconsider adding a dome to Sajik Baseball Stadium as well.

Seo anticipated that Busan City would soon gather public opinion on both the Sajik Stadium redevelopment and the new Bukhang dome stadium plans. She proposed, “At that time, I hope the city will also ask Busan citizens whether they prefer the current plan for an open-air stadium at Sajik, or a retractable dome stadium.”

Seo’s proposal aims to move the debate beyond simply choosing between Sajik and Bukhang. Instead, she envisions keeping the already secured budget and plan for Sajik Baseball Stadium and adding dome stadium functionality.

Attention is focused on which options Busan City will present to the public during the upcoming citizen feedback process.

Facebook screenshot of Assemblywoman Seo Ji-young.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.