Yongsan Park Housing Plan Sparks Opposition from Seoul City and District

Seoul's Yongsan District has strongly opposed the government's consideration of developing Yongsan Park for housing. The district issued a statement expressing deep regret over the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's announcement that the entire park, not just the Yongsan Children's Garden, could be a housing supply candidate.

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We express deep regret over the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's announcement that the entire Yongsan Park, beyond the Yongsan Children's Garden, will be considered as a housing supply candidate, and we strongly oppose this direction of 추진.

Yongsan District officials vowed to firmly resist any development that would harm the park's original value and identity. They emphasized that Yongsan Park, returning to the public after 120 years, is the last large-scale national park in Seoul's city center and should be a national symbolic space embodying Korea's history and future.

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Yongsan Park is the last large-scale national park in the heart of Seoul, returning to the public after 120 years. We must not view Yongsan Park, a national symbolic space that will contain Korea's history and future, from the perspective of 'is there land that can be used for housing supply?'.

"Yongsan Park cannot be restored once damaged," the district stated. "Housing can be supplied in other areas, but a large-scale urban national park, a national symbolic space to be passed down to future generations, cannot be recreated once lost." They suggested that if housing is needed, the government should first explore ways to revitalize existing urban areas through reconstruction and redevelopment, and expand new housing supply via maintenance projects.

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Yongsan Park cannot be restored once damaged. Housing can be supplied in other areas, but a large-scale urban national park, a national symbolic space to be passed down to future generations, cannot be recreated once lost.

Earlier, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Hyun-soo had responded to a question about housing supply at Yongsan Children's Garden by saying the ministry was considering the entire Yongsan Park. Seoul City had also previously voiced its opposition, calling the park a precious national asset that must be preserved for future generations in the era of climate crisis, not merely a vacant lot.

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If housing supply is needed, we must first find ways to revitalize existing urban areas through reconstruction and redevelopment and expand new housing supply through maintenance projects, while simultaneously preserving the city's functions and publicness.