While Pusan National University (PNU) is switching the sand field of Nuknukhan-Teo (Nuk-Teo) into a grass field, critics say that the project has been handled with more haste than caution because of the short notice period preceding construction.

PNU announced that it has cordoned off the Nuk-Teo from March 21st to April 30th for the construction. It was announced on March 17th, four days before construction began. 

This project was promoted as part of the Campus Master Plan, “Beautiful Campus.” Under the principle of creating a campus where students want to walk by greening the center of the campus, the existing site of Nuk-Teo will be changed from sand to grass to make the vital campus.

However, there was confusion in the university due to the short notice period before the start of construction. Students came to use the Nuk-Teo as usual, but turned on their heels when they saw the construction site. PNU student A said, “I came here to play catch and found out about the playground construction. I do not know where to play catch.” 

The student council of the college is also confused because they received the notice late. College of Social Sciences, College of Pharmacy, and College of Education were scheduled to hold an inauguration ceremony at the Nuk-Teo. Still, they had to suddenly changelocation due to the news of the construction. Lee Jang-Eun (Dept. of Department of Political Science & Diplomacy, 19), the President of the College of Social Sciences, said, “At the non-members' general meeting held on March 14th, I heard the news of the Nuk-Teo construction. I was a little embarrassed, but I am looking for another place.” 

Another problem was that space to play soccer will disappear if a grass field is created. This is because the existing Nuk-Teo playground was used as a space for students and outsiders of PNU to play soccer. With the popularity of soccer, there were many people who used the Sports Complex, so being able to play soccer at Nuk-Teo also had the effect of distributing the number of people. Lee Chang-Hee (the administrator of the sports department, PNU) said, “In the past week since the notice was posted, reservations for the Sports Complex have increased sharply compared to the previous semester. The competition for reservations at the Sports Complex is likely to intensify.”

There are also voices of concern about the management of and damage to natural grass. According to the PNU headquarters, the building of a permanent stage is being discussed at this construction. Cho Won-Jun (Construction manager, PNU facility team) said, “To prevent damage to the grass as much as possible, grass with good growth and resistance has been selected, and mats for grass protection are also being considered. We have come up with a way to technically address students' concerns and will take action quickly if problems arise.”

On the other hand, many look forward to the new appearance of the Nuk-Teo after it is renovated as a grass plaza. The response is that it will contribute to a more romantic campus life. Hwang Sung-Jun (Dept. of Korean Language & Literature, 23), who often visits the playground since entering the university, said, “It seems to be able to transform into a space that PNU students like more than before. I am looking forward to seeing the grass square that many students will visit.”

Reporter Yoon Da-Gyo

Translated by Lim Chae-Kyung