Participants of a ceremony to open the road connecting Yongdu and Geumga as a detour 

for National Road No. 19, gesture for a group photo on June 28. Seen are Vice Minister for 

Transport Yeo Hyung-ku,; Yoon Wang-ro, head of the Daejeon Land Management Office,; 

Chungcheongbuk-do Gov. Lee Si-jong; Rep. Yoon Jin-shik,; and Chungju City Mayor Lee Jong-bae.

Anew detour road to and from the Tangeum Lake International Rowing Regatta, the venue of the upcoming 2013 World Rowing Cham-pionships, has been opened to traffic before the Aug. 25 opening of the championships.

The Daejeon Land Management Office, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT), held a ceremony to open the road connecting Yongdu and Geumga as a detour for National Road No. 19, which cuts through the congested areas of Chungju City before leading to the Tangeum Lake International Rowing Regatta, at a resting area of the newly opened road on June 28. Among those on hand at the ceremony were Vice Minister for Transport Yeo Hyung-ku; Yoon Wang-ro, head of the Daejeon Land Management Office; Chungcheongbuk-do Gov. Lee Si-jong; Rep. Yoon Jin-shik; and Chungju City Mayor Lee Jong-bae.

Participants of a ceremony to open the road connecting Yongdu and Geumga as a detour for 

National Road No. 19, gesture for a group photo on June 28. Seen are Vice Minister for 

Transport Yeo Hyung-ku,; Yoon Wang-ro, head of the Daejeon Land Management Office,; 

Chungcheongbuk-do Gov. Lee Si-jong; Rep. Yoon Jin-shik,; and Chungju City Mayor Lee Jong-bae.

The Daejeon Land Management Office said the dedication of the detour road was advanced to June 28, six months ahead of the original date of December to ensure smooth traffic to the Tangeum Lake International Rowing Regatta, for the 2013 World Rowing Championships. Some 2,300 delegates from 80 countries are expected to participate in the event which takes place from Aug. 25 to Sept. 1. 

The construction of the 10.8 km-long, four-lane detour road, which was launched in 2002, cost 229.9 billion won. 

The Ureuk Bridge, part of the approach roach to the venue of the 2013 World Rowing Championships is 

likely to emerge as one of the nearby tourist attractions. (Photos: the Daejeon Land Management Office)

The detour road cut the distance to the regatta to 10.8 km from the previous 12.1 km and shortened travel time by some 20 minutes. It is expected to not only dramatically ease traffic flows in the congested downtown areas of Chungju City, but also contribute to the development of the Chungju Industrial Complex and other areas and the reinvigorating of the regional economy, the office said. 

The Ureuk Bridge, part of the detour road, which is shaped like a gayageum, a traditional Korean zither-like musical instrument with 12 strings, will emerge as one of the tourist attractions for Korean and foreign delegations as well as tourists.

Chungju City boasts many scenic tourist sites, including the breathtaking Chungju Lake, the Tangeum Lake International Rowing Regatta, and the Chungwon Tower of the Shilla Kingdom.