BMW opened its first driving center in Asia, located on Yeongjongdo Island, some 40 kilometers west of Seoul, to the public on Friday, officials said.

The BMW complex consists of a 2.6 kilometer racetrack; a BMW car gallery; a restaurant; the Junior Campus, an education program for children; and food and drink facilities.

The facility is the third of its kind, following driving centers in Germany and the U.S.

Entry is free of charge, while some fees will be required for test-driving vehicles and using the facilities. A total of 56 BMW, Mini and Motorrad vehicles are available for test-driving.

The Korean unit expects some 200,000 people, including travelers from China and Japan, to visit the center annually.

Reservations for foreign nationals will start from Sept. 1. For more information, visit the website at www.bmw-driving-center.co.kr.

(jylee@heraldcorp.com)