[비즈한국] “I don’t know why they are trying to touch the park instead of properly finishing the redevelopment and reconstruction projects that are already underway.”
As the government considers parts of Yongsan Park as potential sites for housing supply, the debate surrounding urban housing supply and the preservation of the park is intensifying. Although it is currently only in the review stage, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Yongsan-gu have made their opposition clear. Citizens met on-site also expressed generally negative reactions to using park land for housing supply.
On the 19th, visitors enjoying walks during their lunch break were visible throughout the Yongsan Children's Garden in Seoul. Children from daycare centers on an outing took photos at the photo zones set up in the garden, and office workers chatted with their ID cards around their necks or sat on benches to rest. In contrast to the peaceful atmosphere inside the garden, funeral wreaths bearing messages against the housing supply review were lined up at the entrance, highlighting the ongoing conflict.
Citizens met at the park were generally negative about utilizing the Yongsan Park site for housing supply, citing the belief that green space should not be damaged. A resident of Yongsan-gu, identified as A, said, “Doesn’t Seoul deserve at least one large park like this? I’m not happy about using this place for housing.” A visitor in their 20s, B, also said, “I don’t understand why we must build houses here at the cost of destroying green space. Even if the plan is finalized, it will take a long time until actual move-ins, so it’s questionable whether it will help solve the urgent housing problem.”
The government is considering plans to use parts of the approximately 3 million square meter (907,000 pyeong) Yongsan Park to supply public rental housing for the youth. In Seoul, where it is difficult to secure large-scale new land, Yongsan Park, with its prime location and size, has emerged as a potential candidate for additional supply. Initially, the Yongsan Children's Garden, which accounts for about one-tenth of the total area, was mentioned as a candidate, but the review now encompasses the entirety of Yongsan Park.
Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yun-deok stated at a press conference on the 14th, “The term ‘Children’s Garden’ is a narrow concept; we are considering the entire Yongsan Park.” However, he clarified that they are not developing the entire park, but rather considering limited housing supply focused on sites where park and green functions have already been partially damaged. Officers' quarters, military apartments, and the former site of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration are also being mentioned as candidates.
However, several variables remain before actual supply can occur. The current ‘Special Act on the Creation of Yongsan Park’ prohibits the use of the park site for purposes other than as a park. Providing housing on part of the site would require a separate legal basis. When an amendment to the special act was recently discussed in the National Assembly, interpretations emerged suggesting a link to housing supply, but the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated there was no connection.
The fact that the return of the Yongsan US military base is not yet complete is another variable. According to data released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2022, only about 31% of the Yongsan base has been returned. Since most of the land has not yet been returned, further negotiations between South Korea and the US will be necessary if unreturned land is included in the supply candidates.
Even returned sites are difficult to use immediately for housing. Soil and groundwater contamination issues have been confirmed in the Yongsan area, which was used as a US military base for a long time. Once the actual supply sites are determined, the extent of contamination must be verified and the scope of purification must be decided. The duration and cost required for purification can vary depending on the contamination status of each site, which also affects the project schedule.
Opposition from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Yongsan-gu, and local residents is also a major variable for the project's progress. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon has repeatedly stated his opposition, maintaining his stance that Yongsan Park must be protected. Yongsan-gu also publicly opposed the government’s plan. Citizens are also expressing their opposition by sending funeral wreaths or holding protest rallies. Even if the government resolves the legal and physical issues, backlash from the local community may act as a burden in the project implementation process.
Experts pointed out that the effectiveness and actual feasibility of the Yongsan Park housing supply should be scrutinized. Lee Eun-hyung, a research fellow at the Korea Institute of Construction Policy, said, “Even if a large amount of housing is supplied in a location like Yongsan, it is not easy to expect housing prices in Seoul to fall or stabilize,” adding, “Rather, given its prime location, it is highly likely to be reflected in the prices of future new housing.” Lee emphasized that instead of turning Yongsan into an issue for supply, it is more important to steadily continue with ongoing supply projects such as urban maintenance projects and the 3rd new town developments in Seoul.
Kim Hak-ryeol, head of the Smart Tube Real Estate Research Institute, viewed it as likely that Yongsan Park will continue to be repeatedly mentioned as a supply candidate rather than leading to an actual project. Kim said, “Since it has been mentioned as a candidate once, it will likely continue to come up, but it will not be easy to actually implement it as it requires various processes such as legal amendments and soil purification.”
Meanwhile, a ‘Rally to Defend Yongsan Children's Garden’ was held at Hanmaeum Park in front of the Yongsan Children's Garden at 6:30 PM on the 19th. People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Young-se and Yongsan-gu Mayor Kim Gyeong-dae also attended, opposing the housing supply within Yongsan Park and calling for the complete creation of the park. When asked by a reporter about future response plans, Yongsan-gu Mayor Kim Gyeong-dae said, “We will respond in line with the future schedule and movements of the National Assembly.”
Amidst the continued discord between the government and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yun-deok and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon are scheduled to meet again on the 20th to discuss the issue of housing supply in Yongsan Park.