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• Rotorua councillor Trevor Maxwell defends Korean mud deal
Chadwick said the deal with Boryeong could see Rotorua mud being exported to South Korea.
The Boryeong mud will make up about 16 per cent of the mud used in the inaugural Mudtopia Festival in Rotorua this December. The rest will come from a local quarry, rather than from any protected geothermal features.
The event will use about 10 tonnes of mud in the first year.
Cameron said the Boryeong mud is sourced from coastal areas of Daecheon Peninsula and will provide visitors to Mudtopia with a different type of mud for a "hands-on experience".
But he said Rotorua geothermal mud, in the form of thermal clay, would be the main attraction at Mudtopia. Council staff and contractors are working with the Ministry for Primary Industries on border requirements to bring the Boryeong mud powder into New Zealand.
"It will undergo stringent tests, radiation and heating treatment to ensure it meets the ministry's standards."
Chadwick said there were no plans to "take Boryeong's festival and plonk it in Rotorua".
"Our festival will be done the Rotorua way."
Mudtopia will be at the Rotorua racecourse from December 1-3 and will include a mud-arena, spa and wellness experiences, as well as a concert headlined by Kiwi band Shapeshifter. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster.