Kangwon Land, South Korea’s only casino open to locals, will attend a two-day forum in Osaka starting August 27th, 2025, to study Japan’s integrated resort strategy and counter rising regional competition.
The Korea Bizwire cites analysts’ warnings that Japan’s planned multibillion-dollar resort in Osaka, set to open by 2030, could attract 7.6 million Korean visitors annually, potentially diverting KRW2.6 trillion ($1.9 billion) in domestic spending.
The forum, hosted by the Korea Casino Tourism Association and the Korea Tourism Society, will bring together about 50 officials, academics, and industry experts to assess the impact of Japan’s resort on Korea’s casino and tourism sectors.
Kangwon Land’s acting casino chief, Han Geum-seok, is expected to advocate for regulatory easing to boost Korea’s competitiveness. The company is advancing its “K-HIT Project 1.0” to transform its highland resort into a world-class integrated resort by 2032, featuring wellness offerings, landmark attractions, and a leisure and sports complex.
As reported by AGB, Kangwon Land announced a KRW2.5 trillion ($1.8 billion) expansion in April 2024 to triple its casino space to 49,500 square meters by 2032 and upgrade hotel capacity and non-gaming facilities. The company aims to increase non-casino revenue from 13 percent to 30 percent by 2032, aspiring to become Korea’s equivalent of Las Vegas.
Acting CEO Choi Cheol-gyu emphasized the need for innovation to maintain competitiveness and support the regional economy. Kangwon Land’s efforts aim to counter growing competition from Southeast Asian countries – such as Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines – which have boosted tax revenues, jobs, and tourism through casino developments.
